Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki served as a huge center of trade in Ancient Greece.  The round building in this photo is one of Thessaloniki's many Orthodox cathedrals, attesting to the fact that Thessaloniki has remained a cultural, political and economic hub for the past 2,000 years.  This means that the archeological ruins of the city rest under current houses and buildings, hiding clues about the past.  We do know that Roman influence was not felt nearly as much here as in Philippi. Greek culture, language and even governance continued in Thessaloniki during the Roman empire.

Thessaloniki in Paul's Ministry

Paul's visit to Thessaloniki is recorded in the Bible in Acts. 

After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you." Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the market-places they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house. When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.’ The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go. (Acts, chapter 17:1-9)

Paul also writes two letters to the congregation at Thessaloniki. Many scholars think that Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians is the earliest document of the New Testament. Jesus has been dead and raised just 20 years before. Christianity is moving out of the synagogues and into broader Greek life and the cultural collision is just beginning. 

sources:
Hadjifoti, Litsa. Saint Paul His Life and Work. Koropi, Greece: Micael Toubis Publication, 2004.
Meeks, Wayne. The Urban Environment of Pauline Christianity. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983.