From ancient times the fertile lands of Yambol region have provided for livelihood of its population. This place had been inhabited by Thracians, Helenians, Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians, Turks and what other kind of people you could think of, and every people left here some of its spirit. In old times the main roads ran along the streams of the rivers and their tributaries. The Valley of Tundzha River had been the main corridor for mutual exchange between the Balkan Peninsula, Anatolia and the Aegean islands.

The history of Yambol had begun even before the Bulgarian state was established. In two hundred ninety three Emperor Diocletian initiated a long journey in those lands. First he visited Adrianopolis, from where then set off to the present cities of Stara Zagora, Plovdiv and Sofia. The road of the Emperor passed exactly through the place where Yambol is located today. Diocletian was amazed by the fertile lands he saw here, by the beautiful nature and favorable living conditions. Therefore he decided that a town must be built in that place. And not just a town, but a big and beautiful town, that should be given the divine name Diospolis – a town of Zeus.

Later on, these lands became under the domination of the East Roman Empire and the town was called Diampol. Romans knew perfectly well how important this town had been in that part of the Empire and fully supported its development.

Further on, Bulgarians came. For the first time Yambol became a part of Bulgaria during the reign of Khan Tervel in the year seven hundred and five, when the Khan helped Emperor Yustinian to re-gain his throne.
Much later, at the end of the tenth century, the fortress of Yambol was built on a naturally fortified place, protected on three sides by Tundzha.

Then, the whole Bulgarian state fell under Byzantine rule. Yambol also fell and became Byzantine town again. And that went on until the uprising of brothers Asen and Peter, who restored the Bulgarian state.  A few years after the uprising, Yambol became Bulgarian again. And that had continued for almost two centuries when Bulgarians experienced hard times once more. This time threat was coming from East. At the beginning of the fourteenth century Turks set foot on the Balkan Peninsula and very quickly advanced towards our lands. During that time the city governor had been the nephew of Tsar Ivan Alexander – Shishman. He defended the fortress for a long time but then finally, in the summer of thirteen seventy three the defenders surrendered. The fortress was destroyed, though parts of its impressive walls and towers have survived even to the present day.

And that was the beginning of the Turkish domination. Turks turned very quickly the town into one of the best developed settlements in the region. They built many structures, such as the Bezisten and Eski Mosque that even today are standing in the same places.  Trade was flourishing, many horse convoys from other countries passed through Yambol and that gave chance to people to exchange both commodities and ideas. The following years had been years that we call today Revival. There was a strong influx of European fashion to the city.

Then, Bulgarians rose up and set off to win freedom for their kingdom. Apostle Levski was going around the country and was organizing revolutionary committees. Such a committee was created in Yambol too and its leader was Georgi Drazhev, who was hanged after the April uprising failed.

Then, the Russo-Turkish war was declared in eighteen seventy eight, when our town was liberated by the Twenty third Donskoy-Cossack regiment. The citizen of Yambol Ivan Paraskevov, who was living in Braila then, created the prototype of the Bulgarian national tricolor.

After the Liberation, many patriots were living in Yambol as well as many people who worked for the Bulgarian national revival.  At the beginning of the twentieth century anarchism found a fertile soil here and it was led by Georgi Sheitanov. Yambol is the native town of Matilda Popovich, the first Bulgarian actress, and also of the periodicals about the theatre. The unique Christmas dance buenek is a local dance. Yambol was the first town to have a Horse Tram and during the World War One a hangar for zeppelins was constructed here. It were nobody else but Yambolers who waved the Bulgarian flag in Edirne and the regiments of Yambol – the Twenty ninth Infantry and the Fourth Cavalry regiments took an active part in the two World Wars.

Then, the ninth of September, nineteen forty four came and Yambol, like whole Bulgaria, started working for the socialist ideas. Today the city is the host of Kukerland carnival, is the home town of the worldwide known sportsman Encho Keryazov, and John Atanasov, the man who invented the computer also comes from these lands.

That was in brief the history of Yambol