City of ancient Macedonia near the River Gangites, named for Philip II of Macedon who conquered it, 358 B.C. Ruins of an acropolis, amphitheatre, and temple remain. In 42 B.C. the senatorial party under Brutus and Cassius was defeated by Antony and Octavius, and Philippi became the Roman colony of Julia Philippensis, and received the jus Italicum. It was the first city of Europe to be visited by Saint Paul the Apostle, 53. To the inhabitants he addressed his "Epistle to the Philippians." The see was originally suffragan to Thessalonica, but later became a metropolitan see.