Castra ad Montanesium is a ruined Roman fortress in the town of Montana, Bulgaria. It was built as the town grew to greater importance as a Roman settlement. Near the entrance of fortress are the ruins of the basilica. The built tourist path passes along it and leads to the fortress walls, behind which there is another church, though it is smaller.
The fortress was constructed in the first century AD to give a defensive buff to the Roman town of Montanesium. During the reign of Constantine the Great (306-337) an early Christian basilica was constructed adjacent to the complex.
Between 440 and 490, the northwest of modern Bulgaria was devastated by the raids of the Huns, under Attila, and the Goths. Later raids by the Slavs and Avars between 500 and 560 resulted in the destruction of the fortress down to its foundations, along with most of Montanesium.
In the early 2010s, an initiative was undertaken to restore parts of the basilica and fortress, as a part of the second stage of the EU's Regional development program.
References:Stobi was an ancient town of Paeonia located near Gradsko. It is considered by many to be the most famous archaeological site in North Macedonia. Stobi was built where the Erigon (Crna River) joins the Axios (Vardar), making it strategically important as a center for both trade and warfare.
Stobi developed from a Paeonian settlement established in the Archaic period. It is believed that in 217 BCE, Philip V annexed Paionia during his campaign against the Dardani who had entered Bylazora, the largest Paeonian town.
The city was first mentioned in writing by the historian Livy, in connection with a victory of Philip V of Macedon over the Dardani in 197 BC. In 168 BC, the Romans defeated Perseus and Macedonia was divided into four nominally independent republics. In 148 BC, the four areas of Macedonia were brought together in a unified Roman province. In the reign of Augustus the city grew in size and population.