In the Valandovo valley is located one of the most impressive archaeological sites in North Macedonia. On the peak of a small hill, overlooking the valley on the southwest side of the village Marvinci is located at the site of Isar. Covering some 5 hectares it could be divided into at least two areas – the acropolis of the pre-roman settlement and the Roman and Late Roman town. In the late 3rd century AD a castrum was built on the southeast slope of the acropolis. Nevertheless, the wealthy prehistoric burials, discovered in the vicinity, demonstrate that the area was of major importance already in the 8th century BC.
An interesting find was discovered in 1961 in the first year of systematic archaeological research on the site. In the debris from a ruined wall of the military castrum was discovered a Hellenistic grave monument. The tombstone was carved out in the form of a naiskos – a small temple so characteristic for Attic funerary architecture. It represents a young man called Zoilos, son of Isholaos, wearing his full military gear. It is one of the few depictions of a hoplite wearing chest armour, a helmet, a spear and a Macedonian shield. Behind him is a depiction of a snake and the pediment of an altar. His armament as well as the background of the image, especially the sake as a chthonic element suggest, that the deceased was a hero and represented as such on his tombstone. Although as times changed his grave marking lost its primary role and was secondary used as a stone block in the construction of the military fort.
