Many of my long walks of the day take me to or through the long pedestrian street in Plovdiv. Along this vehicle free zone, I pass by many ancient Roman ruins. One of these is the amazing stadium of Philippopolis.
Ancient Rome
I don’t know what it is but I am continually fascinated with all things ancient Roman. I knew I was going to see Roman history here in Plovdiv, but I guess I wasn’t prepared for just how much I would be exposed to. It is everywhere. And I love it! There is soooo much that is underground here and not yet excavated or even discovered. One thing that was discovered however, in 1923, was the stadium of Philippopolis.
Philippopolis
Wow that is hard to type. 🤣 In the 2nd century AD, Philippopolis was the capital of the Roman province of Thracia. It was a bustling city with over 100,000 citizens. The most important Roman military road crossed through the city.
The Stadium
Today, very little of the 600 foot long stadium is uncovered. Most lies buried under the shops and businesses in the city centre. One portion that has been excavated and is open to the public to explore is the north end. It lies below the Dzhumayata Square and is accessible from two staircases.
The stadium is constructed of large marble slabs with 14 rows of seats. Many of the seats have been decorated with lion paw detailing, especially around the staircases. A few seats have lettering and were reserved for special guests.
There is an arch built into this end of the stadium which gave guests access to the road leading out of the city gates. Philippopolis stadium was one of very few built within its city walls.
Access
I was able to walk on and explore everywhere. It is wonderful to have that freedom. To see and feel the marble, see its wear and tear and feel the cold smoothness helps take me back in time.
I walked through the archway and inside this area, are glass partitions between the public and the marble passageway. On the other side, I can see what remains the aqueducts that were constructed a century later, over top of the stadium.
There is even a restaurant that one can enjoy a lovely meal at while taking in the beauty of the stadium and surrounding square. What a treasure right inside the city of Plovdiv and I love that the public has so much access to this special space.
