Biblical Geography: Roman Provinces around the Aegean Sea
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.
MACEDONIA – region of southeastern "Europe" (northern part of modern Greece) where the Pauline mission first spreads; a "province" during the Roman Empire; includes the cities/towns of Neapolis, Philippi, Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica, and Beroea.
Macedonia (24x) / Macedonians (5x); see especially Acts 16:6--17:15
Acts 16:9-12 – During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." / When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. / Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, / and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days.
Acts 18:5 – When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus.
Acts 19:21-22 – Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have gone there, I must also see Rome." / So he sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself stayed for some time longer in Asia.
Acts 19:29 – The city was filled with the confusion; and people rushed together to the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's travel companions.
Acts 20:1-3 – After the uproar [in Ephesus] had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples; and after encouraging them and saying farewell, he left for Macedonia. / When he had gone through those regions and had given the believers much encouragement, he came to Greece, / where he stayed for three months. He was about to set sail for Syria when a plot was made against him by the Jews, and so he decided to return through Macedonia.
Acts 27:2 – Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.
Rom 15:26 – for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to share their resources with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
1 Cor 16:5 – I will visit you after passing through Macedonia-- for I intend to pass through Macedonia--
2 Cor 1:16 – I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on to Judea.
2 Cor 2:13 – but my mind could not rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said farewell to them and went on to Macedonia.
2 Cor 7:5 – For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way-- disputes without and fears within.
2 Cor 8:1 – We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia;
2 Cor 9:2-4 – for I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them. / But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not prove to have been empty in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be; / otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated-- to say nothing of you-- in this undertaking.
2 Cor 11:9 – And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for my needs were supplied by the friends who came from Macedonia. So I refrained and will continue to refrain from burdening you in any way.
Phil 4:15 – You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone.
1 Thess 1:7-8 – so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. / For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it.
1 Thess 4:10 – and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more,
1 Tim 1:3 – I urge you, as I did when I was on my way to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach any different doctrine,
Neapolis (1x) – Macedonian port city (now called Kavala), just south of Philippi
Acts 16:11 – We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis,
Philippi (4x) / Philippians (1x) – Roman colony
in Eastern Macedonia; now an archaeological site; very early Pauline community
See all of Acts 16:11-40 and Paul's Letter to the Philippians
Acts 16:12 – and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days.
Acts 20:6 – but we sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we joined them in Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
Phil 1:1 – Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Phil 4:15 – You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone.
1 Thess 2:2 – but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.
Amphipolis and Apollonia(1x each) – towns through which Paul passed, but evidently without founding any Christian communities
Acts 17:1 – After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
Thessalonica (5x) / Thessalonians (4x) – ancient city in central Macedonia (today spelled Thessaloniki); important early Pauline community
See all of Acts 17:1-14 and the First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians
Acts 17:1 – After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
Acts 17:11 – These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so.
Acts 17:13 – But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds.
Acts 20:4 – He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Beroea, by Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, by Gaius from Derbe, and by Timothy, as well as by Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.
Acts 27:2 – Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica.
Phil 4:16 – For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs more than once.
1 Thess 1:1 – Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. (1 Thess. 1:1 NRS)
2 Thess 1:1 – Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thess. 1:1 NRS)
2 Tim 4:10 – for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
Beroea (3x) – smaller city west of Thessalonica (now called Veria); where Paul founded a small community of believers
Acts 17:10-14 – That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea; and when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. / These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so. / Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. / But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds.
/ Then the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind [in Beroea].
Acts 20:4 – He [Paul] was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Beroea, by Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, by Gaius from Derbe, and by Timothy, as well as by Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.
ACHAIA – core region of ancient "Greece," including the cities of Athens and Corinth, along with their ports and surrounding towns
Mark 7:26 – Now the woman was a Gentile [lit. "Greek"], of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
Acts 17:12 – Many of them therefore believed, including not a few Greek women and men of high standing. (Acts 17:12 NRS)
Acts 20:2 – When he had gone through those regions [Macedonia] and had given the believers much encouragement, he came to GREECE, [and stayed in Corinth for 3 months]
For men called "Greek" or Greeks," see also John 7:35; 12:20;
Acts 14:1;
16:1, 3;
17:4;
18:4;
19:10, 17;
20:21;
21:28;
Rom 1:14, 16;
2:9-10;
3:9;
10:12;
1 Cor 1:22, 24;
10:32;
12:13;
Gal 2:3;
3:28; and
Col 3:11.
Achaia (10x) - see
especially Acts
18:1-18; 20:2-3
Acts 18:12 – But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal.
Acts 18:27 – And when he wished to cross over to Achaia, the believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who through grace had become believers,
Acts 19:21 – Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have gone there, I must also see Rome."
Rom 15:26 – for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to share their resources with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
1 Cor 16:15 – Now, brothers and sisters, you know that members of the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints;
2 Cor 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is in Corinth, including all the saints throughout Achaia:
2 Cor 9:2 – for I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them.
2 Cor 11:10 – As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
1 Thess 1:7-8 – so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. /
For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it.
Athens (4x) /Athenians (2x) – capital city of Achaia; Paul preached there, but gained only a few converts; the Areopagus was a public gathering
place on the Acropolis of Athens, near the Parthenon
Acts 17:15-17 – Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left him. / While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. / So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
Acts 17:19 – So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
Acts 17:21-22 – Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new. /
Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, "Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way…”
Acts 17:33-34 – At that point Paul left them. / But some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Acts 18:1 – After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. [where he stayed for several years]
1 Thess 3:1 – Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens; [while sending Timothy back north, to Thessalonica]
Acts 18:1 – After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
Acts 18:8 – Crispus, the official of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized.
Acts 19:1 – While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.
1 Cor 1:2 – To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
2 Cor 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is in Corinth, including all the saints throughout Achaia:
2 Cor 1:23 – But I call on God as witness against me: it was to spare you that I did not come again to Corinth.
2 Cor 6:11 – We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you.
2 Tim 4:20 – Erastus remained in Corinth; Trophimus I left ill in Miletus.
Cenchreae (2x) – the ancient eastern port of Corinth; now a village called Kechries (Corinth's western port, Lechaion, is not mentioned in the NT)
Acts 18:18 – After staying there for a considerable time, Paul said farewell to the believers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut, for he was under a vow.
Rom 16:1 – I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae.
ASIA (MINOR) – heavily populated region, in modern-day South-Western Turkey; many famous cities, incl. most of the "Seven Cities of Revelation" (Rev 2-3); ancient center in Pergamum
Ephesus – major Pauline missionary base in mid-50's (Eph; 1Cor 15:32; 16:8; 1Tim 1:3; Acts 18:19-19:41; 20:16-38); later also a center of Johannine Christianity (Rev 1:11; 2:1)
Colossae & Laodicea – Paul (or one of his followers) wrote letters to the Christians in both these cities (Col 2:1; 4:13-16; also Rev 1:11; 3:14)
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea – the cities of the seven churches of Revelation (Rev 1:11; 2:1–3:22)
Miletus
Patmos – small island in the Aegean Sea, near Ephesus; where John, the author of Revelation, was (Rev 1:9)
GREEK ISLANDS in the AEGEAN SEA:
Samothrace (1x) –
an island in the NE part of the Aegean; Paul, Silas, and Timothy stopped there one night
Acts 16:11-12 – Setting sail therefore from Troas [NW Turkey], we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis [SE Macedonia]
Mitylene (1x; capital of the island of Lesbos), Chios (1x; city & island), Samos (1x; city & island) –
islands off the western coast of Turkey, visited briefly by Paul
Acts 20:13-15 – We went ahead to the ship [in Troas] and set sail for Assos [coastal city in NW Turkey], intending to take Paul on board there; for he had made this arrangement, intending to go by land himself. 14 When he met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 15 We sailed from there, and on the following day we arrived opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos, and the day after that we came to Miletus [city on the mainland, in SE Asia Minor].
Cos (1x) and Rhodes (1x) –
islands off the SW coast of Turkey, visited briefly by Paul
Acts 21:1 – When we had parted from them and set sail [from Miletus], we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara [southern coast of Turkey, ancient Lycia].
Crete (6x) / Cretans (2x) – large Mediterranean island south of the Aegean Sea; visited by Paul on his journey to Rome (Acts 27:7-21); also includes place names Salmone, Fair Havens, Lasea, Phoenix, and the nearby island of Cauda.
Acts 2:11 [at Pentecost in Jerusalem] – Cretans and Arabs-- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power."
Acts 27:7-8, 12-16 – We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. / 8 Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. /... / 12 Since the harbor was not suitable for spending the winter, the majority was in favor of putting to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, where they could spend the winter. It was a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest. / 13 When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore. / 14 But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete. / 15 Since the ship was caught and could not be turned head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. / 16 By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship's boat under control.
Acts 27:21 – Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss."
Titus 1:5 – I [Paul] left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you:
Titus 1:12 – It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said, "Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons."
Today's cruise ships often visit Herakleion (northern shore of Crete) and the nearby ruins of the Minoan Palace of Knossos
Patmos(1x) –
small island SW of Ephesus (between the larger islands of Samos and Cos/Kos); where an early Christian named "John" wrote the Book of Revelation.
Rev 1:9 – I, John, your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
Aegean Sea Islands often visited on modern cruises, but not mentioned in the Bible:
