← G2331 G2333 →

Θεσσαλονίκη

Thessaloníkē

G2332 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Thessaloníkē refers to the major port city of Macedonia in northern Greece, well-known from the Hellenistic, Roman, and early Christian periods. Initially designating the urban center itself, the term also encompasses the wider community, its people, and region, especially in historical, administrative, and commercial texts. In the New Testament, it denotes the city that received letters from Paul of Tarsus and featured a significant non-Judean population, along with a notable Judean community.

Semantic Range

Thessalonica (Macedonian port city), the community or populace of Thessalonica, the region or territory associated with Thessalonica

Root / Etymology

The name Θεσσαλονίκη is a compound from Θεσσαλός (a Thessalian) and νίκη ('victory'), thus meaning 'Victory of Thessaly.' The city itself was named after Thessalonike, half-sister of Alexander the Great, with her personal name commemorating a military victory by the Thessalians.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The city of Thessaloníkē (modern Thessaloniki) was founded in 315 BCE by Cassander, who named it after his wife, Thessalonike, linking her name to the commemoration of a military victory by Thessalians. During the Hellenistic and Roman periods, it became a major trade and administrative center due to its port and strategic location on the Via Egnatia. In the New Testament, Thessalonika appears as an important urban hub visited by Paul (Acts 17), noted for its diverse population and civic prominence. The city's name thus marks both a local Macedonian identity and its significance as a crossroads of the eastern Mediterranean world. Standard English translations render the term as 'Thessalonica,' effectively communicating the ancient city but lacking the historical nuance of its founding and multicultural character. The term only refers to the place and, by extension, its inhabitants, not to any broader ethnic or religious identity. In LXX and NT contexts, it is always a proper noun, never a common noun or adjective.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from (a Thessalian) and νίκη; Thessalonice, a place in Asia Minor:--Thessalonica.

Root Family

Θεσσαλονίκη (Thessaloníkē) — city name, urban center, population center

Root Θεσσαλονικ- city name, urban center, population center

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2332-01 Θεσσαλονίκῃ thessalonike N DAT F SG Thessalonica to Thessalonica Thessalonica 2
G2332-02 Θεσσαλονίκην thessaloniken N ACC F SG Thessalonica Thessalonica Thessalonica 2
G2332-03 Θεσσαλονίκης thessalonikes N GEN F SG Thessalonica of Thessalonica of Thessalonica 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2332-02 Acts 17:1 Θεσσαλονίκην thessaloniken N ACC F SG Thessalonica Thessalonica
G2332-01 Acts 17:11 Θεσσαλονίκῃ thessalonike N DAT F SG Thessalonica to Thessalonica Thessalonica
G2332-03 Acts 17:13 Θεσσαλονίκης thessalonikes N GEN F SG Thessalonica of Thessalonica of Thessalonica
G2332-01 Philippians 4:16 Θεσσαλονίκῃ thessalonike N DAT F SG Thessalonica to Thessalonica Thessalonica
G2332-02 2 Timothy 4:10 Θεσσαλονίκην thessaloniken N ACC F SG Thessalonica Thessalonica Thessalonica
← G2331 Greek Lexicon G2333 →