Alexandrupolis

Q532244

Alexandrupolis ("Alexander town"): first town founded by Alexander the Great.

The Strymon, between Sandanski and Blagoevgrad

According to Plutarchnote Alexandrupolis was the first town founded by Alexander, in 340, when he was regent. While his father, king Philip II of Macedonia, was involved in the eastern campaign that culminated in the Perinthus incident, Alexander waged a brief campaign against the rebellious Maedi, a tribe that must have lived somewhere in the southwest of modern Bulgaria.

After the young crown prince had subdued the rebels, he founded Alexandrupolis, "the town of Alexander". Its location is not known, but it must have been between modern Sandanski and Blagoevgrad, in the valley of the Strymon. The town must have served as a halting place along the road to Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv), which his father had founded in the preceding year.

The fact that we don't know where Alexandrupolis was founded, suggests that it was abandoned or renamed soon after it had come into being. A Thracian raid may have caused its disappearance from history.

This page was created in 2006; last modified on 6 August 2020.