Plovdiv - Name

Name

Plovdiv was given various names throughout its long history. It was originally a Thracian settlement by the name of Eumolpias, named after the mythical Thracian king Eumolpos, son of Poseidon. Philip II of Macedon conquered the area in 342-341 BC and renamed the city Philippoupolis (Greek: Φιλιππούπολις); the later Thracian name for the city, Pulpudeva, is a translation. After the Romans took control of the area, the city was named Latin: Trimontium, meaning the Three Hills. During the Middle Ages the city was known as Philippoupolis in Byzantine Greek and Paldin (Пълдин) or Plavdiv (Плъвдив) in Old Bulgarian, variations of the town's earlier Thracian name. The city was known as Philippopolis in Western Europe well into the early 20th century. The city was known as Filibe in Turkish during the Ottoman Empire and the name is still in use in Turkish.

The asteroid (minor planet) 3860 Plovdiv is named after the city. It was discovered by the Bulgarian astronomer Violeta G. Ivanova on 8 August 1986. Plovdiv Peak (1,040 m/3,412 ft) on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is also named after Plovdiv.