Welcome to Philippi: Why was this Macedonian City So Roman?
Philippi was more than the setting of Acts 16. Its Roman identity shaped its laws, social divisions, religious life, and response to Paul and Silas.
The World Behind Luke’s “Spirit of Python”
English translations often say that the enslaved girl in Acts 16 had a "spirit of divination." Luke's Greek is more specific: she had a "spirit of Python," a phrase that evokes Apollo, Delphi, and an ancient world of prophecy and profit.
Two Kingdoms, One City: How Christianity Took Root in Roman Philippi
Philippi knew the power of Rome: its laws, citizenship, monuments, and order. Then a quiet gathering beside the river introduced the city to another kingdom.