ANCIENT PHILIPPI

and the ancient Greek theatre

Ancient Philippi are more than some old ruins. One of my most magic evenings ever was in the ancient Greek theatre of Philippi, at a concert with the fabulous Greek artist Hari Alexiou. The concert took place at the old theatre, a theatre that was built more than 2000 years ago by Philip the second, the father of Alexander the Great. One thing was to actually sit on the marble seat that maybe Alex himself sat on once upon a time, another thing was to be a part of the audience and experience Alexiou live, under a the black velvety sky with its diamond beads of twinkling stars and a tiny sliced moon.

When on summer holidays in Eleftheres remember to ask us to check out if there is a concert or play taking place in the theatre of Philippi – there are quite frequent something going on during the summer months.

But the excavations of ancient Philippi are worth a visit all year around. Pre-Philip Philippi was called Krinides and used to be a colony of the island Thasos. Difficult to imagine today that this sleepy village once upon a time was of such importance that kings fought over it.

The reason?

Because of the gold in the mountains around, particularly in the mountain of Pangeo. Actually, it was gold from this place that paid for Alexander the Greats conquest of the world.

The Romans took control over the city after the battle of Philippi in 42 B.C. If you have seen the movie Cleopatra with Liz Taylor you might remember how Robert Burton went off to fight in Neapolis - the previous name for Kavala, which was the port of Philippi. In the battle the assassins of Julius Caesar, Cassius and Brutus, were beaten.

Philippi is also know from The Bible – it was here Paul the Apostle read his Letter to the Philippians. Paul was jailed here by the Romans, and you can see the cave where he probably not was jailed at the excavations. Next to Philippi is the new Baptistery of Lydia, named after the woman Lydia who was baptised by Paul on this very place and became the first Christian person in Europe. Today grown ups who convert to the Greek-Orthodox faith are baptised in the river in Lydia – so this tradition has lasted 2000 years!

Read more about saint Paul in Philippi here.

And read what pilgrims following in the footsteps of the apostle Paul say here.

In addition to the ancient Greek theatre (where they recently found a basement with a lift up to the scene – to send up the lions for the gladiator fights!), you can also see traces of the old Egnatia road – the road that lead from Rome to Konstantinople (Istanbul), the old agora (marked place), the ruins of old Byzantine churches and the old Roman latrines (read more about modern and ancient Greek toilet here.)

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