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Thessalonica In 51 AD

A reconstruction of the Greek city in its New Testament days.

**** Site Under Construction (Progress suspended, May 2006) ****
For more on New Testament Backgrounds, visit the author's NT/History Blog.


Introduction to Thessalonica in 51 AD

I started this reconstruction project in 2000, visited Thessaloniki, Greece in 2001, and brought home many resources in several languages to work from. Now, in October 2005, I'm beginning to publish my work here... to get some help and feedback on the results so far.

My goal is to put together every detail of what Biblical Thessalonica was like, background, surrounding area, city structure and layout, daily life including socio-political and cultural demographics, and every other detail I can possibly discover.

The reason I am doing this is simply to set up the total context and full setting for the story of those first, actual Thessalonian believers mentioned in the New Testament! ...and also because no one else has done it yet!

There are many, many more posts to be added. Much of it is still in the notes and/or draft stages, but eventually everything I know (and everything I don't know yet) will be here on this site. There are many opinions on these subjects, regarding an ancient city buried under the concrete and asphalt of a modern city and about a million people. So this is a challenging job, to say the least!

Eventually, I'll add comments in defense of certain conclusions, and pointing out other items I'm still working on. I'm hoping to attract some real scholars to comment as well... but anyone who's interested is invited to leave a comment. Your input of any kind will be very valuable to me!

Since this project is about Thessalonica in 51 AD, I will NOT include any of these popular elements, which date from later time-periods: the Roman Forum, the Arch and Palace of Galerius, the Rotunda, the White Tower, the Roman “Theater” (or “Amphitheater”), the post- Constantinian Harbor, and all (post-Constantinian) church-buildings. For information about these and other details of Thessalonica after 51 AD, check the Links to modern Thessaloniki.

Finally, I have to say much love to the Greek people and their culture. I hope my friends Vicki and Costas will find this site, also, and know how very grateful I still am for all their help and encouragement when I went to Greece. I am also especially grateful to all of the scholars whose work I have found, up till now.

So if you would like to, please come explore Thessalonica in 51 AD! I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I have!

Bill Heroman
Arlington, Texas
October, 2005