 Click within yellow lines for close-ups. Thessalonica is familiar to Bible students as host city to one of the churches founded by the Apostle Paul (Acts 17) and recipient of two of his epistles (First and Second Thessalonians). This church, a shrine to Demetrius, a martyr of the 4th century CE Galerius persecution, was originally built in the 5th century CE but gutted by the great fire of 1917. It was rebuilt between 1926 and 1948, using original materials as much as possible. The church's basement and crypt area is likely the location of ancient Roman baths, including the tradition site where Demetrius was imprisoned. Archaeologists have also found there a small section of an ancient Roman street, proof that the prison cell was originally at ground level. Source for this summary: Fant & Reddish, 138 (see below). For more about the ancient city, go to the other views. Want to go deeper?The following are recommended to help you look deeper into the history and archaeology of Thessalonica. Recommended for purchase: Claude E. Fant & Mitchell G. Reddish – A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey (Oxford, 2003), 132-140. – Nearly two-thirds of the New Testament, including all the letters of Paul, most of Acts, and the Book of Revelation, are set in either Turkey or Greece. This book serves as a historical, biblical, and archaeological guide to most of these biblical sites. View excerpt Ben Witherington – 1 & 2 Thessalonians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Eerdmans, 2006) – In this first full-scale socio-rhetorical commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Ben Witherington gleans fresh insight from reading Paul's text in the light of rhetorical concerns and patterns, early Jewish theology, and the first-century historical situation in Macedonia. Witherington's distinctive socio-rhetorical approach helps unearth insights that would otherwise remain hidden using only form criticism, epistolary categories, and traditional criticism. Witherington details Thessalonica's place as the "metropolis" of Macedonia, and he carefully unpacks the social situation of Paul and his recipients. Scholars will appreciate the careful analysis and rhetorical insights contained here, while Witherington's clear prose and sensitivity to Paul's ideas make this work ideal for all who desire a useful, readable commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Online resources: "Aghios Dimitrios Church" – Virtual tourist. – Also discussing crypt and prison cell. Thessaloniki360: Virtual City Guide. – Features many 360° photos of the significant landmarks of Thessaloniki. About DS Contact DS © 2011 DeeperStudy.com | Steve Singleton, All Rights Reserved | Thessalonica Satellite Image |