Ancient Thessalonica

In this series of Bible Backroads, we’ll check out two letters that Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica. Thessalonica is about 80 miles west of Philippi on the ancient highway known as the Via Egnatia. When Paul arrived there in about 49 AD, Thessalonica was the capital and most important city of the Roman Province of Macedonia. It was strategic and powerful, located at the crossroads of two major trade routes.