Thessalonica

A large and populous city on the Thermaic bay. It was the capital of one of the four Roman districts of Macedonia, and was ruled by a praetor. It was named after Thessalonica, the wife of Cassander, who built the city. She was so called by her father, Philip, because he first heard of her birth on the day of his gaining a victory over the Thessalians. On his second missionary journey, Paul preached in the synagogue here, the chief synagogue of the Jews in that part of Macedonia, and laid the foundations of a church (Acts 17:1-4; 1 Thes. 1:9). The violence of the Jews drove him from the city, when he fled to Berea (Acts 17:5-10). The “rulers of the city” before whom the Jews “drew Jason,” with whom Paul and Silas lodged, are in the original called politarchai, an unusual word, which was found, however, inscribed on an arch in Thessalonica. This discovery confirms the accuracy of the historian. Paul visited the church here on a subsequent occasion (20:1-3). This city long retained its importance. It is the most important town of European Turkey, under the name of Saloniki, with a mixed population of about 85,000.

The original name of this city was Therma; and that part of the Macedonian shore on which it was situated retained through the Roman period the designation of the Thermaic Gulf. Cassander the son of Antipater rebuilt and enlarged Therma, and named it after his wife Thessalonica, the sister of Alexander the Great. The name ever since, under various slight modifications, has been continuous, and the city itself has never ceased to be eminent. Saloniki is still the most important town of European Turkey, next after Constantinople. Strabo in the first century speaks of Thessalonica as the most populous city in Macedonia. Visit of Paul .—St. Paul visited Thessalonica (with Silas and Timothy) during his second missionary journey, and introduced Christianity there. The first scene of the apostle’s work at Thessalonica was the synagogue. (Acts 17:2,3) It is stated that the ministrations among the Jews continued for three weeks. ver. 2. Not that we are obliged to limit to this time the whole stay of the apostle at Thessalonica. A flourishing church was certainly formed there; and the epistles show that its elements were more Gentile than Jewish. [For persecution and further history see Paul] Circumstances which led Paul to Thessalonica .—Three circumstances must here be mentioned which illustrate in an important manner this visit and this journey as well as the two Epistles to the Thessalonians.

THESSALONI'CA, a city of Macedonia. It was anciently called Thermae ("hot baths"), but Cassander, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, rebuilt the city, and called it, after his wife, Alexander's sister, Thessalonica. The city was situated at the north-east corner of the Thermaic Gulf. It was in Paul's time a free city of the Romans, the most populous city in Macedonia, and the capital of one of the four Roman divisions of Macedonia, which extended from the river Strymon on the east to the Axius on the west. Scripture History. - Paul and Silas, in a.d. 58, came to Thessalonica from Philippi, which was 100 miles northeast, on the Via Egnatia. There was the synagogue of the Jews. For at least three Sabbaths the apostles preached to their countrymen. A church was gathered, principally composed of Gentiles. At length the persecution became so violent as to drive the apostle away. He desired to revisit the church there, and sent Timothy to minister to them. Among his converts were Caius, Aristarchus, Secundus, and perhaps Jason. Acts 17:1-13; Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2; comp. Phil 4:16; 2 Tim 4:10. Paul wrote two Epistles to the Thessalonian church from Corinth. 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1. Thessalonica. The "rulers" of the city. Acts 17:6, 1 Kgs 15:8, are called, in the original, "politarchs." This is a peculiar term, not elsewhere found in the N.T., but this very word appears in the inscription on a triumphal arch believed to have been erected after the battle of Philippi. The names of seven politarchs are given. During several centuries Thessalonica was an important centre of Christianity in the Oriental Church, and from it the Bulgarians and Slavonians were reached. Present Condition. - Thessalonica still survives as a Turkish town, under the name of Salonika. It has a conspicuous and beautiful situation on a hill sloping back from the gulf, and its palaces and mosques present a fine appearance. Its walls are some 5 miles in circumference. The streets are narrow and irregular. Many of the mosques were formerly Christian churches. It is also the seat of a Greek metropolitan, and contains numerous churches and schools of different denominations. Its commerce is extensive; some four thousand vessels visit its harbor every year, representing the trade of France, Austria, Italy, England, Greece, Switzerland, Belgium, the United States, etc. The population is about 80,000, of whom 30,000 are Jews and 10,000 Greeks. Among the most important of the ancient monuments are a hippodrome, a colonnade built under Nero, the triumphal arch commemorating the battle of Philippi, and another triumphal arch, of the time of Constantine.

victory against the Thessalians

THESSALONI'CA, a city of Macedonia. It was anciently called Thermae ("hot baths"), but Cassander, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, rebuilt the city, and called it, after his wife, Alexander's sister, Thessalonica. The city was situated at the north-east corner of the Thermaic Gulf. It was in Paul's time a free city of the Romans, the most populous city in Macedonia, and the capital of one of the four Roman divisions of Macedonia, which extended from the river Strymon on the east to the Axius on the west. Scripture History. - Paul and Silas, in a.d. 58, came to Thessalonica from Philippi, which was 100 miles northeast, on the Via Egnatia. There was the synagogue of the Jews. For at least three Sabbaths the apostles preached to their countrymen. A church was gathered, principally composed of Gentiles. At length the persecution became so violent as to drive the apostle away. He desired to revisit the church there, and sent Timothy to minister to them. Among his converts were Caius, Aristarchus, Secundus, and perhaps Jason. Acts 17:1-13; Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2; comp. Phil 4:16; 2 Tim 4:10. Paul wrote two Epistles to the Thessalonian church from Corinth. 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1. Thessalonica. The "rulers" of the city. Acts 17:6, 1 Kgs 15:8, are called, in the original, "politarchs." This is a peculiar term, not elsewhere found in the N.T., but this very word appears in the inscription on a triumphal arch believed to have been erected after the battle of Philippi. The names of seven politarchs are given. During several centuries Thessalonica was an important centre of Christianity in the Oriental Church, and from it the Bulgarians and Slavonians were reached. Present Condition. - Thessalonica still survives as a Turkish town, under the name of Salonika. It has a conspicuous and beautiful situation on a hill sloping back from the gulf, and its palaces and mosques present a fine appearance. Its walls are some 5 miles in circumference. The streets are narrow and irregular. Many of the mosques were formerly Christian churches. It is also the seat of a Greek metropolitan, and contains numerous churches and schools of different denominations. Its commerce is extensive; some four thousand vessels visit its harbor every year, representing the trade of France, Austria, Italy, England, Greece, Switzerland, Belgium, the United States, etc. The population is about 80,000, of whom 30,000 are Jews and 10,000 Greeks. Among the most important of the ancient monuments are a hippodrome, a colonnade built under Nero, the triumphal arch commemorating the battle of Philippi, and another triumphal arch, of the time of Constantine.