THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION.
Picture this, Greece circa 356 B.C. the towns, islands, and city-states have been sacking one another. They are all lying around licking their wounds.
It would be a great time to swoop in and take over most of the area. And that is what Philip II does.
Phil who?
Philip II is the king of Macedon. He seizes all of present-day Greece except Sparta. His son Alexander will remedy that circa 331 B.C. That’s what makes him so “great.”
Philip seizes a small Thasian settlement in Northern Greece. He renames it, Philippi. It is on the main trail going east and west, has freshwater springs and nearby gold and silver mine
They will discover more mines, and Philippi becomes a major city minting its own coins.
Outside of killing his father to gain the throne, his son Alexander will go on to do great things.
An ex-lover of Philip’s, and one of his bodyguards actually stabs him, but the heir is not guilt-free.
With the mysterious death of Alexander thirteen years later in 323 B.C., his generals divided up the kingdom.
The Hellenistic period begins. Instead of banding together, the generals fight amongst themselves, winning, losing, and acquiring.
They are not paying close attention to what is happening to their west.
The Romans
With a final victory over the Carthaginians circa 200 B.C., the Romans look east for their growing real estate portfolio.
The Romans will crush the Antigonid dynasty of Macedon during the Third Macedonian War (circa 168 B.C.) They make Philippi a Roman civitas (community.)
By 146 B.C. Roman Macedonia includes the kingdom of Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Thrace, and more. Basically, the northern half of the Greek mainland.
But the Romans move the capital west to Thessaloniki, which stops the growth of Philippi.
But thanks to the Via Egnatia, it remains on the map. The Romans build this paved road stretching from the Adriatic, to Byzantium, following Alexander’s trail. In Italy, it meets up with the Appian Way.
44 B.C., after leading the liberator senators to stab Caesar 23 times accidentally, Brutus and Cassius flee Rome.
They end up in Greece, where they attempt to rule the eastern kingdoms from Philippi.
Mark Anthony and Octavian pursue. During the Battle of Philippi (42 B.C.) Brutus and Cassius both commit suicide after monumental losses on the battlefield.
Not So Ancient Philippi.
In 49 A.D., the Apostle Paul visits Philippi on his first trip to Europe.
Paul arrives in Philippi, and as there is no synagogue, he approaches women washing clothes along the river. After preaching to them, Lydia has him baptize herself and her staff. She then offers the travelers a place to sleep in her home.
In the nearby agora, Paul casts out evil spirits from a girl who is yelling at him. Angry Romans drag Paul and Silas before the magistrates to explain their actions. The magistrates order their flogging, then throw them into prison. At midnight, a violent earthquake sets them free. Instead of fleeing, they remain, and the jailer (and his family) become believers.
In the morning, Paul insists the magistrates apologize for flogging and imprisoning Roman citizens without a fair trial. They do. Paul and Silas leave Luke in Philippi to continue preaching and continue west spreading the word.
Paul will revisit Philippi as well as write several letters to the Philippians.
So let’s visit Philippi.
Philippi Ancient Theater
The Roman theatre sits on top of a theater built by Philip II circa 4th century B.C. The current theater has Romans alterations from the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. Check for performances in the summer months.
Basilica A
This Christian basilica is from circa 5th century A.D. Unfortunately, an earthquake destroys it soon after its completion. It is, to date, the largest basilica in Philippi. The ruins of the Baptistry are on the north side, between the basilica and Acropolis hill.
Paul’s Prison at Philippi.
Between Basilica A and the Roman forum, you will see a fence with a sign saying Paul’s prison. That would be neat if it were true. But a prison would probably not be in this area of a Roman city. It appears to be a cistern they later use as a chapel.
Roman Forum
Below the road is the sprawling forum dating from the 2nd century A.D. The forum is along the Via Egnatia, bringing travelers to the administrative and commercial center. Shops surround a central square. On the east and west sides are the remains of temples.
Basilica B
The basilica, using pillars and building material from the Greek agora, dates from circa 550 A.D. The architectural plan is similar to those of Hagia Sophia and Saint Irene in Constantinople, which it was to rival. Later, the Ottomans will call it the Direkler (Turkish for pillars). Unfortunately, the pillars do not support a heavy second dome, and the basilica collapses before they finish. They do not rebuild. The remaining sections give you an idea of the size of the original. Philippi will eventually have numerous churches, making it a pilgrimage site for early Christians.
Philippi Commercial Street
Running east-west between the Roman Forum and Basilica B (Greek Forum) is the remains of a commercial street. Walk east towards a covered area.
The Basilica of Paul.
The basilica is under a metal roof. It is not the first church in the city. That was a small building probably consisting of only a prayer-house.
A mosaic on the floor identifies this structure as the Basilica of Paul, dating from circa 340 A.D. It is possibly sitting on the spot of the original church. They also call it the Octagonal Basilica.
Via Egnatia
Here you can see a small section. It parallels the main road, which probably sits on top of it in many areas. This was the city’s main street, passing east to west, and is approximately in the middle of the ancient city. Similar to a “Main Street” when you pass through small towns.
Basilica C
Many people miss this unless they walk to the museum. West of Basilica A and above the main road, this basilica dates from circa late 5th-century. You can still see some of the marble flooring and sculptural decoration. It does not fare well during the massive earthquake early 6th-century. The narthex area becomes a cemetery. Several pieces from that are now outside the museum. Other pieces become building supplies for later construction.
Unfortunately, like all of Greece’s sites, they did not know what they were holding until it was too late. Greece does not start protecting its archeological sites until the 1830s. By then, many pieces are in foreign museums or supporting a farmhouse nearby. The Philippi collection is not large, but it is informative.
The lower (ground) floor contains archaeological artifacts from the Roman period and before. These include sculptures, inscriptions, vases, coins, and jewelry. The upper (first) floor includes items from the Christian period until the seventh century A.D. These include mosaics, inscriptions, architectural pieces, vases, and coins.
Baptistery of Saint Lydia of Thyatira.
Further west, outside of the once western gate, is the small Zygaktis (stream) river. Many consider this the traditional spot where the Apostle Paul meets the ladies doing laundry, including Lydia. Therefore this is the location of the first European baptism (conversion) to Christianity. As this area is the closest the river (stream) comes to the city, it seems logical. Unfortunately, there is no concrete evidence. On the grounds, you can see the newer structures of a baptistry and the Center for Historical Studies. The festival of St. Lydia the Philippian takes place on May 20th.
Much of Philippi disappears in an earthquake circa 619 A.D., and the city never fully recovers. People move to Thessaloniki, Kavala, or other places still prosperous. By the end of the century, it is only a village.
We know from an inscription in Basilica B that circa 838, the Bulgarians took it for a military location. By 969 A.D., it is back in Byzantine control. The Emperor rebuilds the Acropolis fortifications and part of the city. Circa 1077, with the Bulgarian threat at bay, the local Bishop oversees the rebuilding of additional defenses inside the city. Written reports from circa 1150 mention Philippi as a thriving center of business and wine production.
It will belong to the Franks, then Serbs, and Byzantines again before it drops off the radar, circa 1400. Reports from the 1500s mention there are no people, and the Turks are using it for building supplies.
Philippi Today.
Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, Archaeological Site of Philippi.
Think of the cast of characters, Philip, Alexander, Brutus, Cassius, Marc Anthony, Octavian, Apostles Paul, Luke, and Silas.
We know they were here and you can walk in their footsteps.
The theater is impressive and the museum has some interesting artifacts.
Why would you want to miss Philippi?
The UNESCO World Heritage Site, Archaeological Site of Aigai, Philip’s burial tomb, is approximately three hours drive west.
Thessaloniki, less than two hours west has 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika.
Drama.
The Greek wine region of Drama is less than 30 minutes north of Philippi.
Besides wine, Drama has a section of a Byzantine wall, a Hellenistic tomb, but no palace for the queens.
Northern Greece is full of surprises and adventures.
It may take more than one trip to see Greece.
Read more about Thessaloniki.
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“If it was possible, what time in history would you like to visit Philippi?”
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“See the World” Continued on Page T3. “Taste the World” Continued on T11.