Aytos, sometimes written Aitos and Ajtos, is a town located in eastern Bulgaria some 30 kilometers from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and belonging to the administrative boundaries of Burgas Province.
Aytos has a rich and long history dating back to antiquity. An old settlement founded by Thracian tribes, archaeological finds near the town testify that its existence dates back to the 5th century BC. According to an ancient Thracian legend, Aetos — one of Orpheus’ students and followers — founded the town. Throughout the centuries, the town has been known under different names including Aetos, Astos, Idos, Akvilia, etc.
During the reign of Khan Tervel, the region was incorporated in the Bulgarian Empire for the first time. The fortress Aetos took an important part in the defensive system of the Bulgarian lands against the sudden attacks of the Tatars, the Avars and the Crusaders.
In 1378 the town was conquered by the armies of the Ottoman Empire under Murad I. During the Russian-Turkish War (1828-1829), General Hans Karl von Diebitsch turned the town into a strategic strong point. After the Treaty of Edirne in 1829, many of the town's citizens fled to Bessarabia to join the Bessarabian Bulgarians.
During the Bulgarian National Revival the population participated actively in the Bulgarian struggles for liberation. Vasil Levski organized a revolutionary committee in the town.
After the Liberation, Aytos became a vivid commercial center, reputedly more important than Burgas. The first girls' agricultural school in the country was established in Aytos during the period.
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