Philippi
[August, 2011] In the Ancient Macedonia tour, the last place we visited in Greece was this Philippi, a town established by Philippos2. Alexander the Great is well known by everybody, but in this tour, his father…
Philippi
Philippi, an ancient city of Roman and Christian history
Philippi is one of the most important archaeological sites in northern Greece. It lies in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, near the modern city of Kavala, in an area that held major strategic and commercial importance for centuries.
The city was founded in 356 BC by Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. He captured the earlier settlement and transformed it into a fortified city, taking advantage of its position near the region’s gold mines and important communication routes.
Philippi later became famous during the Roman period. In 42 BC it was the site of the Battle of Philippi, where the armies of Octavian and Mark Antony defeated Brutus and Cassius, bringing the Roman Republic to an end.
The city also occupies an important place in Christian history. In the first century AD, Saint Paul founded one of Europe’s earliest Christian communities here and later wrote his famous Epistle to the Philippians.
What to see in Philippi
The archaeological site preserves monuments from several periods of the city’s history.
The ancient theatre, begun under Philip II and enlarged by the Romans, is one of the best-preserved structures. It is still used today for performances during the summer festival.
At the centre of the site are the Roman forum, baths, public buildings and the remains of streets that once crossed the city.
Particularly impressive are the large early Christian basilicas, dating from the fifth and sixth centuries, which demonstrate Philippi’s importance during the early development of Christianity.
Outside the main archaeological area is the traditional site associated with the Baptism of Lydia, regarded in the Acts of the Apostles as the first person in Europe to convert to Christianity.
A visit usually takes several hours and reveals how Philippi evolved from a Macedonian city into a Roman settlement and eventually one of the region’s principal Christian centres.
When to visit Philippi
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, offering comfortable temperatures for exploring the extensive archaeological site. Summer can be very hot, especially around midday.
