The ancient Roman city Philippi in Greece – photo report
Greece has so many ruins from previous civilizations inhabiting its territories. I have visited many, but the historical site I visited last week really impressed me. The site is the ancient Roman city of Philippi, located some 15 kms from Kavala (a city in the north-eastern part of the country, usually recognized as the starting point for the ferries to Thassos island). I’ve been to Kavala many times, never spotted this amazing place.
What is Philippi?
Philippi was founded as a Greek colony in 359 B.C. by Orator Callistratus. It was later on conquered by Philip II from Macedonia, presumably to get hold of the gold mines in the region. Phillip fortified the city walls and drained the nearby marshes, after which he named the city after himself. When Philip II’s son – Alexander the Great – came to power, he used Philippi as headquarters for his conquest of the world.
After the Romans captured the province of Macedonia, Philippi became a Roman city. The administrative center of the city – the forum – was built by Emperor Claudius. The administrative buildings were then renewed by Augustus, Marcus Aurelius and others but collapsed following earthquakes 3 centuries later.
The most impressive buildings in the forum are the Christian basilica (6th century AD, see the big columns in the ruins) which fell due to an earthquake shortly after its construction got completed and an octagonal christian church.
The excavations started in 1914 by the French school of archeology in Athens and continue until present times. A fascinating place and must-see, give yourself 2-3 hours to check it out and have in mind it’s huge!
There’s also a museum exhibiting all the finds from this site, and it’s located right next to the ruins. Amazing – but we had simply run out of energy and left the museum for next time. True gem and highly recommended for all fans of history. Right next to the site you can also find suitable places for picnic with activities for kids and a restaurant. So – very suitable for families too. Enjoy the pics!
The ancient theater of Philippi – the side vaults that used to support it
The ancient theater of Philippi in aphitheatrical shape
The ruins of the city forum
Stone cross – used in baptizing ceremonies
The octagonal church has very well preserved floor mosaics
The forum with the grand Christian basilica – currently in reconstruction
The Christian basilica up-close
Hi Svetla.I found your entry on Philippi because I’m planning a trip to Kavala with my family in August. We plan on spending a few days there before going to Thassos. I wanted to know if you recommend staying in the city in Kavala or by the beach? I’m traveling with my husband and two boys ages 7 and 10. We plan on doing excursions like Philipi and Kavala proper but want to be able to cool off in the morning or end of the day. Is there an area you recommend looking for a hotel? Any advice would be very helpful. Thank you!
Hi Faye
sorry for the belated reply, just returned from a vacation in Cyprus. If travelling with kids, I’d advise to stay just outside Kavala. We did book at Nea Karvali (via booking.com) – it’s approx 10 kms from Kavala via an excellent road, so transit to Kavala was pretty quick. However, Nea Karvali is just on a pretty sandy beach, a very quiet village, with lots of family hotels and peaceful streets. So – mornings we had coffee on the beach (lots of space to play for the kids and even dip into the sea) and then were heading for Kavala and around.
Hope this helps. Have a great time in Kavala – liked it very much and Philippi was wonderful. Do stop by Allistrati cave too, the kids will like it.
Arghh..just returned from Northern Greece..how do I miss this one..