Sibera, the village of Čepigovo, near Prilep

Stibera, or as the archaeologists love to name it, Macedonian Pompeia, is one of the biggest antique towns in Macedonia, and at the same time, one of the most attractive antique urban settlements. It is situated in the vicinity of the village of Čepigovo, near Prilep, and its remnants lay on the south slopes of the hill Bedem, where the stream Blato flows into the river Crna Reka (Erigon).

The several written antique sources report about the life and ubiquity of Stibera. In later records, it is not mentioned at all, so it is supposed that it disappeared before the 4th century, during the reign of the tzar Galien.

The archaeological excavations of this site have given an entire treasure of movable archaeological material, belonging mainly to the period of II and 3th centuries, when Stibera was at its peak. The most important ones are the ceramic vessels, coins, marble monuments, more than thirty statues and busts of respectable citizens of the time, some twenty platforms and plaques with inscriptions and many marble plastic artifacts. It indicates that these excavations have discovered a large part of the city ramparts. The town was surrounded by a wall of broken stones. In the interior of the town, foundations have been discovered of a former temple dedicated to the goddess of fate - Tihe, erected in the memory of a rich citizen and her close relatives. On that very spot, there was a spring, which had a cult and a mystical value more than a practical one. The sanctuary dedicated most probably to the same goddess as the temple was built and then renovated on the same place. In this area, various marble decorations have been found, as well as statues and busts, among which the statue of the goddess Tihe on a platform with an inscription. The temple consisted of a naos and a vestibule. Its walls were built of broken stones and hard mortar, and the foundations were strong and massive. The manner of construction of the naos is typically Roman. On the east side of the naos, there were seven niches, one big and central, and three on each side. Their floors have been preserved, and six marble semicircular plaques have been found, which, according to their size, correspond to the floors of the niches on the sides of which the names of the persons' busts placed in each niche were inscribed. They were most probably already dead when this temple was renovated and their busts manufactured. Among the busts, there are the representations of the respectable army commander and citizen, well-known in this region, Titus Flavius Orest and his son Philoxen.

Among the discovered architectonic edifices, the antique gymnasion stands out. It consists of two separate buildings: Cheroon with a sanctuary and a Peristyle with a vestibule and an exedra. In the Cheroon statues, busts, herms, steles and platforms with inscriptions were kept, as well as decrees, victory trophies made in honor of meritorious citizens, winners in competitions and eminent donators of the gymnasium. Statues of different deities have been found and a sacrificial table in the shape of a short cube with a square concavity on the upper horizontal surface, which served for offering sacrifices. The peristyle was situated near the southwest corner of the Cheroon. This building was oriented towards the north of the square. Along the building, the vestibule was situated, with an entrance to the later built exedra. In these buildings, theoretical tuition took place. Numerous statues were placed here, of which only three marble statues of women have been preserved. The communication between these buildings and the square took place through a long and narrow space, undoubtedly used as an athletics track - the oldest and the simplest construction element in the gymnasiums. At the foot of the rampart, above the track were the seats where the audience could follow the contests. Races, contests in throwing discs, arrows and spears were held here, which gave to the town a special beauty and a fresh atmosphere.

These architectural buildings, including the decorative architectural plastics, speak of the economic wealth and power of the families of the I and 3th centuries, and indicate the importance and distinction which this town possessed in that period of its history.

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