PHILIPPIANS - University of Life Corps Teachings: Word for Word, Verse for Verse Teaching Transcripts

Philippi is above the Aegean Sea in Macedonia. On the map, the word "Thrace" is above it. Thrace is off to the right and above. Macedonia is the area that encompasses Beroea, Thessalonica, Philippi, and larger areas to the west and north of that. Philippi actually lies nine miles inland, north of the Aegean Sea in Macedonia. Right on the coast next to Philippi is Neapolis, port city. If a boat comes in, it gets off at Neapolis and goes over mountain range to Philippi, nine miles north.Very important road - Via Egnatia or Egnatian Way - famous military and commercial road built right through the city of Philippi. It spanned both Thrace and Macedonia, from the east coast of Byzantium on the Bosphorus, extreme east end of Thrace. The road zigzagged through Philippi and Thessalonica all the way to the west coast of Macedonia. Extended from Thrace, through Macedonia; from Byzantium to the coast of Macedonia on the west.That distance through Thrace is 493 English miles, which made it possible for travel and trade to go through Philippi and these other cities. It made it possible to carry goods from Rome across the sea to Macedonia and then by land all the way to the Bosphorus. Then after crossing the Bosphorus, a person could go any place in the east that he wanted to go. Very important highway at that time.Philippi is located in the northern area of Greece - Macedonia. The southern area of Greece is called Achaia. Along the west coast of Greece is Apearus.Originally Philippi was called Krenides (springs or fountains) because there were many springs and fountain in that area.359 B.C. - Philip II (Philip of Macedon, Father of Alexander the Great) became king of Macedonia. He knew that city of Krenides would add stability and influence to his kingdom. It was in an extremely fertile area. It would guard his eastern border against Thracian advances (same Barbaric tribes from Thrace who came down and threatened Galatians at one time in history). Above all, the mines would perhaps meet his most pressing need - gold.356 B.C. - Philip captured Krenides, fortified it and named it Philippi.108 B.C. - Roman army defeated Macedonian forces at Pydna in Macedonia. At that time, Macedonia was organized as a semi-independent republican federation, divided into four districts and governed by annual officials. Capital of the first district of Macedonia, which includes Philippi, was Amphipolis (one of the cities Paul traveled through on his way to Thessalonica from Philippi).Acts 16:12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.- Philippi was a city of the first district of Macedonia, Amphipolis was the capital of it.146 B.C. - After a number of revolts, Macedonia reorganized as a Roman province. Thessalonica became the capital for all of Macedonia. At no time was Philippi ever the capital.42 B.C. - Philippi was the site of a great battle that sounded the death knell of Romans. When Paul traveled to Philippi he went by boat from Troas to the island of Samothracia to Neapolis, port city. As one left the city, he started up a hill and there would be a mountain range along the coast. Plain, a basin on the other side of the mountain, and then another range of mountains. As one looked across the plain, he would see the city of Philippi on one of the hillsides on the other side.The marshy plain was the site of a great battle where Brutus and Casius (the men who had killed Julius Caesar) were defeated by Octavian and Mark Antony. After the battle, Philippi was made a Roman colony - military settlement. "And it's a colony" - military settlement. It was Octavian that made it a Roman colony.31 B.C. - Octavian defeated Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium in Epirus (on map - west coast, on south side of inlet). On north side of inlet - Nicopolis.Many of the people who lived in Italy . . .