Philippi

Lore & Background

Philippi was established by Thasian colonists at Crenides near the head of the Aegean Sea. The city retained autonomy within Macedon and had its own political institutions. The city reemerged in history during the Liberators' civil war, when Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC. Octavian later refounded the city as a Roman colony, settling veterans and Italians, and renamed it Colonia Augusta Iulia Philippensis. The city was laid out as a 'miniature Rome' with a forum, theater, and Latin inscriptions, and its wealth came from mines and its position on the Via Egnatia. In the early Christian era, the Apostle Paul visited Philippi around AD 49 or 50, leading to the conversion of Lydia of Thyatira. The city became an early Christian center, with multiple churches built between the 4th and 6th centuries, including Basilica B, which rivaled churches in Constantinople.

Reader's Guide

Philippi's significance lies in its layered history as a Greek foundation, a Macedonian stronghold, a Roman colony, and an early Christian hub. The Battle of Philippi in 42 BC marked a turning point in Roman history, ending the Roman Republic and paving the way for the Empire. The city's role in early Christianity, through Paul's missionary work and the Epistle to the Philippians, made it a key center for the spread of the faith in Europe. The ruins, including the forum, theater, and multiple basilicas, illustrate the city's prosperity and its adaptation through Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods. Its decline after the 6th century, due to earthquakes, plague, and invasions, mirrors the broader transformation of the late antique world. Today, the site near the village of Filippoi offers insight into ancient urban life and religious history.

Did You Know?

• The city's original name, Crenides, means 'Fountains' in Ancient Greek.
• Philip II of Macedon partially drained the marsh near Philippi, as attested by the writer Theophrastus.
• The Battle of Philippi in 42 BC was fought on the plain west of the city.
• The apostle Paul is believed to have preached for the first time on European soil in Philippi.