Apollonia was an ancient city located in the region of Macedonia, which is mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible. It is referenced in the context of the Apostle Paul's second missionary journey as recorded in the Book of Acts. The city was situated on the Via Egnatia, a major Roman road that connected the Adriatic Sea to Byzantium, making it a significant location for travel and trade in the ancient world.

Biblical Reference:

The only direct mention of Apollonia in the Bible is found in Acts 17:1, which states: "When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue" . This passage highlights Apollonia as a waypoint on Paul's journey from Philippi to Thessalonica, indicating its role as a stopover on the missionary route.

Historical and Geographical Context:

Apollonia was one of several cities with the same name in the ancient world, named in honor of the Greek god Apollo. The specific Apollonia mentioned in Acts was located in the Roman province of Macedonia, which is in present-day northern Greece. Its position on the Via Egnatia made it a strategic location for the dissemination of the Gospel, as it facilitated the movement of people and ideas across the Roman Empire.

Cultural and Religious Significance:

During the time of Paul's travels, Apollonia would have been a city influenced by Greek culture and Roman governance. The presence of a Jewish synagogue in nearby Thessalonica, as mentioned in Acts 17:1, suggests that there was a Jewish community in the region, although the text does not specify whether there was a synagogue in Apollonia itself. The city's cultural diversity would have provided both opportunities and challenges for early Christian evangelism.

Paul's Missionary Journey:

The mention of Apollonia in Acts 17:1 is part of the narrative of Paul's second missionary journey, which took place around A.D. 49-52. This journey was significant for the spread of Christianity into Europe. After leaving Philippi, Paul and his companions, including Silas and Timothy, traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia before reaching Thessalonica. The brief mention of Apollonia suggests that Paul did not stay there long, as his primary focus was on reaching larger urban centers where he could engage with both Jews and Gentiles.

Implications for Early Christianity:

The journey through Apollonia underscores the strategic approach of the early Christian missionaries, who utilized the Roman road system to reach key cities. While Apollonia itself is not highlighted as a major center of Christian activity, its mention in the biblical narrative reflects the broader context of missionary work in the Roman Empire. The spread of the Gospel along these routes laid the foundation for the establishment of Christian communities throughout the region.

In summary, Apollonia serves as a geographical marker in the account of Paul's missionary efforts, illustrating the interconnectedness of ancient cities and the strategic planning involved in the early spread of Christianity.Apollonia

perdition, destruction

Apollonia

(belonging to Apollo), a city of Macedonia, through which Paul and Silas passed in their way from Philippi and Amphipolis to Thessalonica. (Acts 17:1) According to the Antonine Itinerary it was distant 30 Roman miles from Amphipolis and 37 Roman miles from Thessalonica.

Apollonia

A city of Macedonia, situated between Amphipolis and Thessalonica, about a day's journey on foot from the former place, Acts 17:1.

A city of Macedonia between Amphipolis and Thessalonica, from which it was distant about 36 miles. Paul and Silas passed through it on their way to Thessalonica (Acts 17:1). APOLLONIA

ap-o-lo'-ni-a (Apollonia): A town in Mygdonia, a district in Macedonia. It was situated a little to the south of Lake Bolbe, on the Via Egnatia, the great Roman road leading from the coast of the Adriatic to the river Hebrus (Maritza), one of the main military and commercial highways of the empire: it lay between Amphipolis and Thessalonica, a day's journey (Livy xlv.28) or about 30 Roman miles from the former and 38 from the latter. The foundation of the town may perhaps be attributed to about 432 B.C.; in any case, coins are extant which attest its existence in the 4th century B.C. (Head, Historia Numorum, 181). Paul and Silas passed through the town on their journey from Philippi to Thessalonica, but do not appear to have stayed there (Acts 17:1). The name seems to have survived in the modern Pollina (Leake, Northern Greece, III, 458; Cousinery, Voyage dans la Macedoine, I, 115).

Marcus N. Tod

624. Apollonia -- Apollonia, a city in Macedonia
... 623, 624. Apollonia. 625 . Apollonia, a city in Macedonia. Part of Speech:
Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Apollonia Phonetic Spelling ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/624.htm - 6k

625. Apollos -- Apollos, an Alexandrian Jewish Christian
... Apollos. Probably from the same as Apollonia; Apollos, an Israelite -- Apollos.
see GREEK Apollonia. (apollo) -- 4 Occurrences. (apollon) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/625.htm - 6k

559. Apelles -- Apelles, a Christian at Rome
... in Rome. Word Origin from the same as Apollonia Definition Apelles, a
Christian at Rome NASB Word Usage Apelles (1). Apelles. Of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/559.htm - 6k

Acts XVII
... Leaving the cause thus guarded behind them, Paul and Silas seek another field of
labor. (1) "And having passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went into ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xvii.htm

Thou Shalt have no Other Gods Before Me.
... St. Apollonia [[acerated his flesh by voluntary fasting to the honor of St.
Apollonia]; if he was afraid of fire, he chose St. Lawrence ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/luther/the large catechism/thou shalt have no other.htm

Paul and Silas in Thessalonica and Berea.
... Hence, upon leaving Philippi, they went forward to Thessalonica the capital of
Macedonia. "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xix paul and silas.htm

Epistle iii. --To Fabius, Bishop of Antioch.
... 3. But they also seized that most admirable virgin Apollonia, then in advanced life,
and knocked out all her teeth, [791] and cut her jaws; and then kindling a ...
/.../dionysius/the works of dionysius/epistle iii to fabius bishop of.htm

The Opinions of the Philosophers Respecting God.
... celebrated water, and Anaximenes, also of Miletus, who celebrated air as the first
principle of all things, and was followed afterwards by Diogenes of Apollonia ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter v the opinions of the.htm

Second Missionary Journey
... Philippi, Paul and his company passed on their way along the Egnatian road through
the two beautiful Greek cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study iv second missionary journey.htm

Argument: Moreover, the Poets have Called Him the Parent of Gods ...
... with ours. Afterwards Anaximenes, and then Diogenes of Apollonia, decide
that the air, infinite and unmeasured, is God. The agreement ...
/.../the octavius of minucius felix/chapter xix argument moreover the poets.htm

The Ministry of Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.
... CORINTH. AD52 TO AD54. After leaving Philippi, and passing through Amphipolis
and Apollonia, Paul made his way to Thessalonica. In ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter vii the ministry of.htm

Acts xvii. 1, 2, 3
... Homily XXXVII. Acts XVII. 1, 2, 3. Acts XVII.1, 2, 3 "Now when they had passed through
Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxxvii acts xvii 1.htm

A Description of the Sea-Coast, Out of Pliny and Strabo.
... The two Jamnes, the one a village" (otherwise Jamne within). "Joppe of the Phoenicians.
Thence Apollonia. The tower of Strato; the same is Caesarea. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 10 a description of.htm

Apollonia (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. APOLLONIA. ap-o-lo'-ni-a (Apollonia): A town
in Mygdonia, a district in Macedonia. ...Apollonia (1 Occurrence). ...
/a/apollonia.htm - 8k

Apollo'nia (1 Occurrence)
Apollo'nia. Apollonia, Apollo'nia. Apollonius . Multi-Version Concordance
Apollo'nia (1 Occurrence). ... Apollonia, Apollo'nia. Apollonius . Reference Bible
/a/apollo'nia.htm - 6k

Apocyphra

/a/apocyphra.htm - 12k

Galatia (6 Occurrences)
... purposes; and the regiones coincided roughly with the old national divisions Pisidia,
Phrygia (including Antioch, Iconium, Apollonia), Lycaonia (including Derbe ...
/g/galatia.htm - 23k

Thessalonica (8 Occurrences)
... He had been at Philippi, and traveled thence by the Egnatian Road, passing through
Amphipolis and Apollonia on the way (Acts 17:1). He found at Thessalonica a ...
/t/thessalonica.htm - 25k

Journeyed (111 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Acts 17:1 And having journeyed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came
to Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the Jews. (DBY). ...
/j/journeyed.htm - 33k

Traveled (104 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Acts 17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia,
they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. (See NAS). ...
/t/traveled.htm - 32k

Thessaloni'ca (7 Occurrences)
... Acts 17:1 And having passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to
Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the Jews, (See RSV). ...
/t/thessaloni'ca.htm - 8k

Pisidia (2 Occurrences)
... That there were Jews in Antioch is proved by Acts 13:14, 50, and by an inscription
of Apollonia, a neighboring city, mentioning a Jewess Deborah, whose ...
/p/pisidia.htm - 21k

Phrygia (4 Occurrences)
... of the older country; Galatian Phrygia was small, extending along the Pisidian
Mountains, but among its important cities were Antioch, Iconium and Apollonia. ...
/p/phrygia.htm - 11k

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