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The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians
Introduction
Introduction
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A Brief History of Philippi
The Marks of a Roman Colony
Authorship
Recipients
Philippi
Philippi
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Built and fortified in 358-357 B.C.
by Philip II of Macedon, the father
of Alexander the Great (356-323
B.C.)
It was located about 10 miles
inland from the port city of
Neapolis (“New City”)
Philippi became a part of the
Roman empire after they defeated
the Persians in 168 B.C.
Philippi
• Philippi was one of the stations
along the Via Egnatia, the main land
route connecting Rome with the
East
• Philippi was the site of the worldfamous battle between Brutus and
Cassius, the assassins of Julius
Caesar, and Antony and Octavian in
42 B.C. (see Shakespeare’s Julius
Caesar, Act 5)
Philippi
• Cassius committed suicide on the
hill of Philippi; Brutus ran onto his
own sword and died after his defeat
• To celebrate his victory, Octavian
named Philippi Colonia Julia
Philippensis
• Octavian (Augustus) later defeated
Antony at the battle of Actium in 31
B.C., after which he rebuilt Philippi
and established it as a Roman
colony and military outpost
Philippi: A Roman Colony
• It was Rome in miniature
• Inhabitants predominately Roman
• Its citizens enjoyed all the rights of
Roman citizens (freedom from
scourging, from arrest – except in
extreme cases – and the right to
appeal to the Emperor)
• Language was Latin
• Coins bore Latin inscriptions
• Veterans received a grant of land
Philippi: A Roman Colony
• Colonies were part of the great
system of fortifications which were
primarily intended as military
outposts to ensure the safety of the
Empire
• Two kinds of people: “Citizens” and
“Strangers”
• Their affairs were regulated by their
own magistrates, called Praetors
• Number of Jews was small
Philippi: A Roman Colony
• There was no synagogue in Philippi,
but they probably had a
Proseuchae, a temporary structure,
by the bank of the Gaggitas River
Paul’s First Visit
• Acts 16:5-40, Paul’s Second
Missionary Journey
• When Paul made his first visit to
Europe, he avoided the port city of
Neapolis and begin preaching the
gospel in Philippi