Kabile Archaeology Reserve

The Kabile National Archaeology Reserve is situated 6 km north of the town of Yambol. It preserves the ruins of the most significant antique Thracian town of Kabile. This economic, political and cultural centre of Ancient Thrace has been investigated for more than 25 years. The remains are really impressive. There is an archaeological museum as well. Working hours: summer time - 8.00 a.m. - 8.00 p.m., winter time - 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. A bus runs from Yambol to the museum 9 times a day.

The Thracian royal city of Cabyle is located on a plateau, crowned with a stone acropolis, which is a sanctuary-observatory (see below). According to some observations, the following things have been discovered there: a rock-cut "Cybela relief", the foundations of a public building, and two rectangular chambers having most likely a cult-related character (Velkov, 1982a; Najdenova 1982).
The name of the habitat originates from Cybela (according to Velkov 1982: 14). A later toponym of the habitat is Dampolis/Diampolis as a corruption of Diospolis (Velkov 1977: 130-131). Fol, 1994: 219-224 states the hypothesis that Diospolis, i. e., "Zeus's city", is a translation-description of the honoring of a supreme male god, most likely Sabasius. Partially, the reason for this hypothesis is the possible etymology Kab-/Sab- in the root of Cabyle's name.
The second part of the toponym 'yle gives the opportunity for using "sacred forest", i. e., Cabyle's name to depict "Sabo's (belonging to Sabasius) holy forest". This interpretation is supported by the rock-cut monument on the top which functioned during the 2-1 mil. BC.

The place of residence originated around the sanctuary at the end of the 2 mil. BC. The plateau is located at the rover Tundzha"s turn south towards Edirne (today's Turkey), and dominates over the plain. The ceramics discovered from 10-6 c. BC proves that the place of residence existed during the early Iron Age as well.
Cabyle was a key place on the way from Aenos (today's Enes), next to Maritza river's mouth (ancient Hebros), to Hemus (Stara Planina) and the lower course of the Danube river. Cabyle was also important if one was traveling diagonally from Byzantium through Serdika (Sofia) - Naissos (Nish) towards the middle course of the Danube river (Fol 1982).
This location predetermined the destiny of the place of residence for centuries to come. The archaeological material shows that during 5-4 c. BC the city maintained important trade relationships with the Hellenic cities at the Aegean and Black sea coasts.