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MACEDONIA

(Gk. Makedonía)

A region between the Balkans and the Greek Peninsula. Throughout history the borders of Macedonia have shifted, but essentially it covers the area along the northern shore of the Aegean Sea, extending west to Illyricum and east to Thrace and south along the Greek Peninsula to Thessaly. The central plain is bordered by mountains on the west and north.

During the centuries leading up to the rise of the Macedonians as a dominant power, northern Greece remained settled by Greeks from elsewhere. Macedonia came into its own as a world power in the period between 359 and 336 b.c.e., largely due to the influence of Philip II of Macedon. His son Alexander the Great expanded the Macedonian power base to include most of the eastern part of the then known world, carrying with him a policy of hellenization (cf. 1 Macc. 1:1-7).

After the death of Alexander in 332 political stability was never fully re-established in Macedonia until the arrival of the Romans in the mid-2nd century. Following the defeat of Perseus at the battle of Pydna in 168 (cf. 1 Macc. 8:5) the Romans divided Macedonia into four autonomous districts with a capital city in each (Amphipolis, Thessalonica, Pella, and Pelagonia). After the revolt led by Andriskos in 149 the Romans formed the four districts into a Macedonian koinón (ca. 146) with its capital at Beroea, which also became the seat of the imperial cult. At the same time a Roman governor was permanently installed at Thessalonica.

Under Augustus Macedonia was made a senatorial province. In 15 c.e. Tiberius combined Macedonia with the senatorial provinces of Achaia to the south and Moesia to the north, thus forming one large imperial province. In 44 Claudius redivided the province along the previous boundaries and Macedonia was once again a senatorial province, governed by a proconsul. However, the Macedonian “free cities” (Thessalonica, Amphipolis, and Skotoussa) and the tribute-paying cities retained their ancient forms of government (an assembly, council, and magistrates). During the Pax Romana new cities were founded in Macedonia and older cities were given new plans. Grand building projects were undertaken, including forums, temples, altars, and funerary buildings, all with accompanying inscriptions.

According to Acts 16:9-12 Paul received a call for help from a “man of Macedonia,” whereupon he sailed from Troas to Philippi to begin his Macedonian ministry. Although Paul experienced opposition throughout this ministry (1 Thess. 2:2; cf. Acts 16:11–17:15; 2 Cor. 7:5), he succeeded in establishing churches at Philippi and Thessalonica and probably Beroea (Acts 17:10-12). Although being poor themselves, the Macedonian churches provided financial support for Paul’s missionary efforts (2 Cor. 11:9; Phil. 4:15-17) and contributed generously to the collection for the Jerusalem church (2 Cor. 8:1-5; Rom. 15:26-27). Paul passed through Macedonia on a number of other occasions (1 Cor. 16:5; 2 Cor. 1:16; 2:13; cf. Acts 20:1-6).

Bibliography. N. G. L. Hammond, The Macedonian State: Origins, Institutions, and History (Oxford, 1989); The Miracle That Was Macedonia (New York, 1991); B. Laourdas and C. Makaronas, eds., Ancient Macedonia, 5 vols. (Thessalonica, 1970-1993).

Richard S. Ascough

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

MACEDONIA

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)