Philippi

The most important archaeological site of eastern Macedonia, with characteristic monuments of the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Christian periods.

The history of the site of Philippi begins in 360/359 B.C. When the colonists from Thasos founded the first city, called Krenides. In 356 B.C. the city is endangered by the Thacians and it turns to king Philip II for support. Philip had already forseen the economic and strategic importance of the city, so he conquered it, he fortified it and he renamed it after himself (Philippi). After the battle of Philippi, in 42 B.C., the city became a Roman colony and its importance was stressed by the fact that it was located on the Via Egnatia.
A landmark in the history of Philippi was the year A.D 49 or 50, when Apostole Paul visited the city and established there the first Christian Church of Europe. This made Philippi a metropolis of Christianity. During the Byzantine period (A.D. 963-969) the walls of the city were reconstructed and at the same time the towers and the wall of the acropolis were built.

 

 

The excavations on the site of Philippi began in 1914 by the

French School of Archaeology at Athens. After the Second World War, excavations were resumed by the Greek Archaeological Service and the Archaeological Society. Nowadays, the archaeological exploitation of the site is carried out by the Archaeological Service, the Aristoteleian University of Thessalonike and the French School of Archaeology at Athens.
The finds from the excapitions are excavations in the Mouseum of Philippi

Most of the monuments in the archaeological site of Philippi have been restored. A project for the restoration and the preservation of the ancient theatre is now in progress in the frame of the european program of 1994 "Historical monuments and places of spectacle".

The most important monuments of the site are:

The prison of Apostole Paul. Tradition has it that in this place Apostole Paul was imprisoned. The structure is actually a Roman water cistern which was later converted into a cult place.

The Agora (Forum). The Agora was the adminstrative centre of Philippi in the Roman period. It is a complex of public buildings arranged around a central open square. The most imposing buildings are the North East temple and the North West temple.

The theatre. It was probably built by king Philip II around the middle of the 4th century B.C. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. large-scale rearrangements and additions were made so that the thatre's function could face the needs of the performances of the time.

Basilica A. Large, three-aisled basilica (130x 50m) with transept aisle on the east side, a square atrium, and gallery over the aisles and the narthex. Fragments of the luxurious pavement and part of the ambo are preserved in the middle aisle. Particularly impressive are the frescos that imitate orthostates (dados) in the porch of a chapel. Dated to the end of the 5th century A.D.

Basilica B. Three-aisled basilica dated to ca. 550 A.D. It has a narthex and annexes to the north and south (phiale, vestry). The almost square in plan, central aisle was covered with a vault supported by large pillars. A second vault roofed the Holy Bema. Its sculptural decoration is under the influence of Costantinople.

Basilica C. An impressive three-aisled basilica with narthex and transept, and a double ambo. It had luxurious marble inlays on the floor and rich sculptural and architectural decoration. Dated to the 6th century A.D.

Octagonal church. The building is square in plan as seen from outside and octagonal in the interior. The nucleus of the whole structure is the vaulted tomb-heroon of the Late Hellenistic period. The octagonal church was built in ca. 400 A.D. and replaced the first small church dedicated to Apostole Paul.

 

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