A number of "Gr women of honorable estate and of men" also believed, but the advent of a body of hostile Jews from Thessalonica created a disturbance in consequence of which Paul had to leave the city, though Silas and Timothy stayed there for a few days longer (Acts 17:12-15). This is now the fifth city Paul has been run out of by an angry mob . This name, usually shortened since medieval times into Salonica or Saloniki, it has retained down to the present. The Acropolis was known as a strong example of architecture due to its structure, but it was ultimately destroyed in an earthquake. Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens Bible Background Acts 17:1-32 Printed Text Acts 17:1-4, 10-12, 22-25, 28 Devotional Reading PSALM 47 Aim for Change By the end of the lesson, we will: LEARN that, although Paul and Silas's message was accepted by some but After the Persian Wars, it was rebuilt to become a precinct sacred to Athena. May 29 - June 10, 2022. Map_Macedonia_336_BC-es.svg: Marsyas (French original); Kordas (Spanish translation), derivative work: MinisterForBadTimes (talk)/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 2.5. What challenge did Paul face before these highly philosophical Greeks? The map includes the principal cities of Greece like: Athens, Corinth, and Thessalonica, and provinces like Macedonia and Achaia. The Roman Empire considered it a military necessity allowing rapid deployment of their legions. Click on the icons for description and link. Marsyas after User:Sting/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 4.0. Graec., II, p. 98, number 14); in the 2nd century of our era Lucian mentions it as the greatest city of Macedonia (Asinus, 46). An attack was made on the house of Jason, with whom the evangelists were lodging, and when these were not found Jason himself and some of the other converts were dragged before the magistrates and accused of harboring men who had caused tumult throughout the Roman world, who maintained the existence of another king, Jesus, and acted in defiance of the imperial decrees. Thessaloniki Map. How long Paul remained at Thessalonica on his 1st visit we cannot precisely determine; certainIy we are not to regard his stay there as confined to three weeks, and Ramsay suggests that it probably extended from December, 50 A.D., to May, 51 A.D. (St. Paul the Traveler, 228). Its population includes some 32,000 Turks, 47,000 Jews (mostly the descendants of refugees from Spain) and 16,000 Greeks and other Europeans. This distance and driving directions will also be displayed on an interactive map labeled as Distance Map and Driving Directions Greece. It lies in 40 degrees 40 minutes North latitude, and 22 degrees 50 minutes East longitude, at the northernmost point of the Thermaic Gulf (Gulf of Salonica), a short . On average, I publish three to four new articles a month. Thus, many in Berea believed the gospel message. The apostle spent a number of weeks here during his Second Missionary Journey, establishing a church (Acts 17:1-9) to whom he would, a short time later, write two letters (1 & 2 Thessalonians). The Department of History, United States Military Academy/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain. The Thessalonian Church:The Thessalonian church was a strong and flourishing one, composed of Gentiles rather than of Jews, if we may judge from the tone of the two Epistles addressed to its members, the absence of quotations from and allusions to the Old Testament, and the phrase "Ye turned unto God from idols" (1 Thessalonians 1:9; compare also 2:14). The town is characterized for its major historical interest and natural beauty as it counts on many archaeological monuments and historical relics, idyllic coasts, and mountainous landscapes. Upon leaving Thessalonica under duress, Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled to Athens by way of Berea. ), the Romans divided the conquered territory into four districts, it became the capital of the second of these (Livy xlv.29), while later, after the organization of the single Roman province of Macedonia in 146 B.C., it was the seat of the governor and thus practically the capital of the whole province. From Athens Paul directed his steps to Corinth, where he appears to have arrived in the autumn of A.D.52. It may be identical with BEEROTH (which see) in Benjamin, a Hivite town, 8 miles North of Jerusalem, or with the modern Birez-Zait, 1 1/2 miles Northwest of Jifneh.W. Coincidentally, perhaps, Rhea was associated with the Phrygian goddess Cybele, who also had a Mt. Ernest Rhys (Editor), Kindle Edition, Amazon Digital Services LLC, March 30, 2011. Persia attacked Greece in what is known as the Persian Wars. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. In addition, the Romans had granted it status as a free city, or one that could govern itself. Translator was Kenmayer/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 1.0. https://www.thoughtco.com/maps-of-ancient-greece-4122979 (accessed March 4, 2023). So why was the Via Egnatia important? I Corinthians 2:1214. Thessalonica is a large city of perhaps 200,000 people. 84y$jT|H T0Z+,&:-DU The death toll from the head-on collision of two trains in central Greece has risen to at least 40 people, with many more . We looked at the wicked men recruited from the market place to riot against Paul and his companions. It reads, The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the . It is true that in the Greek world of previous centuries, many women, especially high-status women, had led cloistered, hidden lives. The Mediterranean country of ancient Greece (Hellas) was composed of many individual city-states (poleis) that were not unified until the Macedonian kings Philip and Alexander the Great incorporated them into their Hellenistic empire. User:Alexikoua, User:Panthera tigris tigris, TL User:Reedside/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0. In 362, Athens took over again. Acts 27:2 Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. The former of them was, indeed, one of the apostle's most constant companions; we find him with Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:29) and on his journey to Rome (Acts 27:2), while in two of his Epistles, written during his captivity, Paul refers to Aristarchus as still with him, his fellow-prisoner (Colossians 4:10 Philemon 1:24). In 1185, when the famous scholar Eustathius was bishop, the Normans under Tancred stormed the city, and once more a general massacre took place. His journey took him along the Via Egnatia, or Egnatian Way. Paul and Silas fled from Thessalonica to Berea. This Northern Greece map displays the districts, cities, and waterways amongst the Grecian peninsula of northern, central, and southern Greece. Perhaps the Sopater of Berea who accompanied Paul to Asia on his last journey to Jerusalem was one of his converts on this visit (Acts 20:4). Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain. The account of Paul and Silas in this location is recorded in Acts 17:10-15. The messengers of Christ must arm themselves with watchfulness and prayer, and move forward with faith, firmness, and courage, and, in the name of Jesus, keep at their work, as did the apostles. 3rd Edition, Kindle Edition, OUP Oxford, August 22, 2013. . Note: The unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica, filled with jealousy and hatred of the apostles, and not content with having driven them from their labors among the Thessalonians, followed them to Berea, and again stirred up the excitable passions of the lower class to do them violence. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. km. Annexing Greece, the Macedonians then went on to conquer most of the world they knew. "The Atlas of Ancient and Classical Geography." The mind must be constantly restrained and guarded. In the war between Perseus and the Romans it appears as the headquarters of the Macedonian navy (Livy xliv. ?a S???? Paul did not here meet with an ignorant, credulous populace, as at Lystra; but he encountered a people famous for their intelligence and education. If you want to go by car, the driving distance between Thessaloniki and Athens is 501.69 km. The philosopher Thales and the poet Sappho were active during this time as well. 4 Explain the caution of Paul while addressing the Athenian idolaters. It allied itself (including the Sacred Band) with Athens to fight the Macedonians at Chaeronea, which the Greeks lost, in 338. Timothy returned to Thessalonica while Silas returned to Philippi. Tickets cost 39 - 42 and the journey takes 5h 45m. ), but in the final struggle of the republic, six years later, it proved loyal to Antony and Octavian, and was rewarded by receiving the status and privileges of a "free city" (Pliny, NH, iv.36). Like the noble Bereans, we should search the Scriptures carefully, prayerfully, to become acquainted with the utterances of God. An ancient sanctuary, Delphi is a town in Greece that includes the Oracle where key decisions in the ancient classical world were made. Berea was a place of momentary refuge, an accidental stop along Paul's missionary journey. \hRMP0`^\Qj4bM. Keywords: Revelation, seven churches of asia Source: NASA Modern Israel Keywords: Israel Source: NASA Bible Class Atlas Download So why did Paul travel 40 miles from Thessalonica to Berea? Going to Berea, they raised a tumult there also, and made it necessary for Paul to leave the town and go to Athens (Acts 17:14, 15).Several points in this account are noteworthy as illustrating the strict accuracy of the narrative of the Acts. How far is it between Berea and Athens. Thessaloniki area map Description: This map shows cities, towns, main roads, secondary roads, resorts, spa resorts, airports, yacht supply stations, campings, beaches, points of interest, tourist attractions and sightseeings in Thessaloniki area. . (berea), Vergna, Kalambaka Today we'll follow the footsteps of Paul in Thessalonki, named after Thessalonica, the sister of Alexander the Great. Troas Troas is the place where God gives the apostle a vision letting him know he should preach the gospel in Europe (Acts 16:8 - 9, 11 - 12). It's in the east, by the Hellespont. Athens, Corinth Now after these things, Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth (Acts 18:1). In 253 the Goths had made a vain attempt to capture the city, and again in 479 Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, found it so strong and well prepared that he did not venture to attack it. The words of Paul become a memorial of the occasion, and give a treasure of knowledge to the church. Why couldnt the Athenians understand Paul? Cicero spent the greater part of his exile there, at the house of the quaestor Plancius (Pro Plancio 41, 99; Epistle Ad Att, iii.8-21). Copyright 2013 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. 2. Even so, Paul seems not to have been greatly impressed by either Athenian intellectualism or the citys architecture, for he was grieved by the idolatry he saw (Concise Bible Atlas, p. 231). It was a city of importance under the Moslems in the Middle Ages, when the old name again asserted itself, and remains to the present time.The name "Aleppo" came to us through the Venetian traders in the days before the great overland route to India via Aleppo lost its importance through the discovery of the passage round the Cape. Greece under Theban Headship (362 B.C.) This is the period described in Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey.". Thessalonica was a major port, and like Philippi, located on the east-west Egnatian highway, and thus an important centre of trade by land and by sea: You need 2 hour to reach athens, Greece from berea , if you are travelling by car. The governor exercises authority over a wide district extending from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean. Berea was located about 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of Thessalonica. Whether Demas was a Thessalonian, as some have supposed, cannot be determined.5. Thebes doesn't appear in the lists of Greek ships and cities sending troops to Troy. The Jews from Thessalonica followed and persecuted them ( Acts 17:10-13 ). The journey from Thessalonica to Berea would have taken two days on foot. After the Peloponnesian War, Thebes became the most powerful city temporarily. Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica And after journeying through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews (Acts 17:1). probably refers to another place of the same name, but an inscription (Inscr Graec, II, 5, 296i) proves its existence at the end of the 4th century B.C., and it is twice mentioned by Polybius (xxvii0.8; xxviii.8). 17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2 and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and f Butler, Samuel. The mind that is earthly finds no pleasure in contemplating the word of God; but for the mind renewed by the Holy Spirit, divine beauty and celestial light shine from the sacred page. The charge against Paul is that of trying to replace Caesar by another king; the rioters wish to bring him before "the people," i.e. If you dont want to miss a thing, simply fill out your details below: Ancient Via Egnatia in Kavala (ancient Neapolis), Philipp Pilhofer, September 2011. Gill, N.S. "How do I decide what I will talk about?" "How should I organize what I want to say?" "What would the Lord have me to do?" 3. This map of the Persian Empire shows the direction of Xenophon and the 10,000. Enable JavaScript to see Google Maps. The Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1923. Neapolis Neapolis is the first European city Paul visits after God tells him to evangelize the continent. Remember, Paul left the bustling commercial hub of Thessalonica at night (Acts 17:10). Therefore, when I have finished this task, and have safely delivered into their hands the fruit that was collected, I will set off toward Spain (Romans 15:24, 28). He had been at Philippi, and traveled thence by the Egnatian Road, passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia on the way (Acts 17:1). They were an Indo-European group of people related to the Thracians. We help thousands of people every year to plan beautiful and trouble-free holidays. There were also thousands of Greek islands in the Aegean sea, and colonies on the eastern side of the Aegean. I Thessalonians 1:510. Berea was a place of momentary refuge, an accidental stop along Pauls missionary journey. What should we learn from the way some unbelieving Jews made trouble for the believers? It consisted, in great part, of art worship, and a round of dissipating amusement and festivities. During the Persian War, it supported Persia. The Black Sea is to the east of most of Greece. Paul and Silas visit Thessalonica and Berea. The city of Salonika is located in northern Greece.After the invasion and occupation of Greece in April 1941, Salonika was included in the German occupation zone. The teachers of the truth were again driven from their field of labor. For that reason, an overland route was a crucial alternative. Why was Paul a source of curiosity in Athens? Known as "the navel of the world," the Greeks used the Oracle as a place of worship, consulting, and influence throughout the Greek world. Antipatris The city through which Roman soldiers brought the Apostle Paul, as prisoner, on their way to Caesarea (Acts 23:13). In my next post Ill take a look at synagogues in the First Century. Thessalonica. Later History:For centuries the city remained one of the chief strongholds of Christianity, and it won for itself the title of "the Orthodox City," not only by the tenacity and vigor of its resistance to the successive attacks of various barbarous races, but also by being largely responsible for their conversion to Christianity.From the middle of the 3rd century A.D. it was entitled "metropolis and colony," and when Diocletian (284-305) divided Macedonia into two provinces, Thessalonica was chosen as the capital of the first of these. As Paul looked upon the beauty and grandeur surrounding him, and saw the city crowded with idols, his spirit was stirred with jealousy for God, whom he saw dishonored on every side. and ended with the Greek Dark Age. The town, which still bears among the Greeks its ancient name (pronounced Verria) though called by the Turks Karaferia, possesses but few remains of antiquity with the exception of numerous inscriptions (Leake, Travels in Northern Greece, III, 290 if; Cousinery, Voyage dans la Macedoine, I, 57; Dimitsas, Makedonia in Greek, 57).Marcus N. Tod(2) The place where Menelaus the ex-high priest was executed by order of Antiochus Eupator, the victim, according to local custom, being cast from a tower 50 cubits high into a bed of ashes (2 Maccabees 13:3). Cleave to the word, It is written. Cast out of the mind the dangerous, obtrusive theories which, if entertained, will hold the mind in bondage, so that man shall not become a new creature in Christ. The Bereans were residents of the city of Berea in Macedonia. Iconium Lystra Damascus Antioch Cyprus Derbe Jerusalem Thessalonica Berea Athens Corinth Ephesus Troas Add any other cities. Located along the south bank of the Daube River, it later became central Serbia. Though modern visitors are impressed with the great buildings of the Acropolis and Olympian Zeus, the agora and the impressive stoas, St . In ancient times, Tiryns was located between Nafplion and Argos of eastern Peloponnese. It lies in 40 degrees 40 minutes North latitude, and 22 degrees 50 minutes East longitude, at the northernmost point of the Thermaic Gulf (Gulf of Salonica), a short distance to the East of the mouth of the Axius (Vardar). . Paul disembarked at Neapolis, a port about 10 miles to the southeast of Philippi. 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Paul and Silas preached to them during Paul's second missionary journey. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/maps-of-ancient-greece-4122979. It was a small city with no particular political, military, or economic importance. Because of the persecution in Thessalonica, what did the brethren decide to do with Paul? the popular assembly characteristic of Greek states, and the magistrates of the city bear the Greek name of politarchs (Acts 17:5-9). St. Paul's visit to the historic and adorned city of Athens marks one of the most challenging parts of his career as a missionary and Apostle. The Bereans listened to Paul's teaching and carefully examined Scripture to determine if his teaching was true. That is undoubtedly why Paul left the main road, traveling in a direction would-be pursuers would never guess. Many of the Jews (and many wealthy Greek men and women) believe, but Paul's ministry is cut short when some Jews from Thessalonica arrive to stir up trouble. Hearing that many of the Jews of Berea were deeply impressed by the truth, what action did the unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica take? The Thessalonica of Pauls day, on the other hand, laid claim to some enviable features. Paul traveled alone to Corinth where Timothy rejoined him and Paul writes this letter. Even the Egyptian city of Alexandria was part of the Hellenistic Empire. It distinguishes the Bible reader and believer, who has been receiving the precious treasures of truth, from the skeptic and the believer in pagan philosophy. Strabo, writing in the reign of Augustus, speaks of it as the most populous town in Macedonia and the metropolis of the province (vii.323, 330), and about the same time the poet Antipater, himself a native of Thessalonica, refers to the city as "mother of all Macedon" (Jacobs, Anthol. Acts 17:1012. I am convinced that anyone who invests the time and energy into building better Bible study habits will become passionate about this wonderful way to draw closer to God. Remains of Via Egnatia near Radozda (a village on the shore of Lake Ohrid). ThoughtCo. "The Roman Empire at its Greatest Extent." In short, it was a commercial hub, and it was the wealthiest city of Macedonia. First trip What's. Thessalonica was a large, major city; Berea, so far as we can tell, was a small, "sleepy town," an "out of the way place" (see footnote 12 on Berea). This map displays the empire from Macedonia in Europe, the Indus River, Syria, and Egypt. Rome had conquered it in the Third Century B.C., and then a Roman army had looted the city in 85 B.C. Among them the most famous is the inscription engraved on the arch which stood at the western end of the main street of Salonica and was called the Vardar Gate. So, too, it seems, was Athens. Athens (Attiki) Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki) 303.13: Piraeus (Attiki) Patrai (Acha?a) 169.73: Peristerion (Piraios Nomos) Irakleion (Irakleion) 325.33: Larisa (Larisa) Kallithea (Piraios Nomos) Thebes was the main city in the area of Greece called Boeotia. From the Epistle to the Philippians (Acts 1:26; Acts 2:24), written during his captivity, we learn that his intention was to revisit Philippi if possible, and 1 Timothy 1:3 records a subsequent journey to Macedonia, in the course of which the apostle may well have made a longer or shorter stay at Thessalonica.