### 🏛️ 10 Interesting Facts About Philippi 1. **Philippi Was a Roman Colony** Philippi was one of the few cities designated as a Roman colony (Acts 16:12), meaning its citizens were given the same legal rights as those living in Rome. This status made Roman identity and honor extremely important to its residents. 2. **Founded by King Philip of Macedon (Alexander the Great’s Father)** The city was originally called Crenides but was renamed Philippi after Philip II of Macedon conquered it around 356 B.C 3. **The First European City to Receive the Gospel** When Paul received a vision of the “Macedonian man” (Acts 16:9), he sailed to Macedonia and preached in Philippi first, making it the first European city where Christianity was established. 4. **Lydia Was the First Convert in Europe** Lydia, a wealthy businesswoman and seller of purple cloth, became the first recorded convert to Christianity in Europe (Acts 16:14–15). She hosted the first house church in Philippi. 5. **There Was No Synagogue in Philippi** Paul usually started his missionary work in synagogues, but in Philippi he met a group of women praying by the river (Acts 16:13), likely because there weren’t enough Jewish men to form a synagogue. 6. **Paul Was Imprisoned in Philippi** Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned (Acts 16:19–40), but while in jail, they sang hymns at midnight, which led to a miraculous earthquake and the conversion of the Philippian jailer and his family. 7. **Philippi Was the Site of a Famous Roman Battle** In 42 B.C., Brutus and Cassius (Julius Caesar’s assassins) were defeated by Octavian (later Augustus) and Mark Antony. This led to Philippi’s designation as a Roman colony and filled the city with Roman veterans. 8. **The Philippian Church Was One of Paul’s Most Loyal Supporters** The Philippians sent Paul financial and personal support multiple times, even when other churches did not (Phil. 4:15–18). Their generosity is highlighted throughout the letter. 9. **The Philippian Christians Faced Persecution** As Roman citizens loyal to Caesar, many Philippians would have seen Christian allegiance to Jesus as a threat, resulting in suffering and social pressure for believers (Phil. 1:29–30). 10. **Philippi’s Ruins Are Still Visible Today** You can visit the archaeological remains of Philippi in modern-day northeastern Greece, which include a theater, basilicas, and what’s believed to be the prison cell of Paul and Silas.