Philippi was an important city in eastern Macedon which flourished in the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Periods. Situated between the Strymon and Nestos rivers, the city was valued in antiquity for its nearby gold mines. Site of the famous Battle of Philippi at the end of the Roman Republic, the city prospered in the Roman imperial era and, after a visit from St. Paul, became an important centre of early Christianity. Philippi continued to flourish as a major Byzantine city. Today the archaeological site has substantial remains including a theatre and four basilicas. Philippi is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
More about: PhilippiDefinition
Timeline
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c. 360 BCETraditional founding date of Philippi in Macedon with its original name as Crenides.
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c. 357 BCEPhilip II of Macedon renames the Macedonian city of Crrenides after himself: Philippi.
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42 BCEOctavian and Antony defeat Republicans under Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi (Greece).
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27 BCEPhilippi gains the honorary title of Colonia Iulia Augusta Philippensis.
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c. 49 CEPaul the Apostle visits Philippi in Macedon.
