Ἀμφίπολις
Amphipolis
Definition
Amphipolis was a prominent city in the Roman province of Macedonia, strategically located on the Strymon River near the Aegean Sea. It served as a major military and commercial center, known for its control of nearby gold and silver mines. In the New Testament, it is mentioned only in Acts 17:1 as a city Paul and Silas passed through on their journey from Philippi to Thessalonica during the second missionary journey. The name itself means 'surrounded city,' reflecting its geography, but biblically, its significance is purely geographical as a notable stop on Paul's travels.
Biblical Usage
The word Ἀμφίπολις is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 17:1. It functions strictly as a proper noun identifying a geographical location. In this context, it marks a point on Paul and Silas's itinerary as they traveled through Macedonia after leaving Philippi, heading toward Thessalonica to preach the gospel. No other usage or metaphorical sense appears in the biblical text.
Etymology
The name Ἀμφίπολις derives from the Greek words ἀμφί (amphi), meaning 'around' or 'on both sides,' and πόλις (polis), meaning 'city.' It literally translates to 'city on both sides' or 'surrounded city,' likely referring to its location being encircled by the Strymon River. This is a descriptive toponym common in the ancient world, not a compound with the prefix ἀ- (meaning 'not'), as sometimes mistakenly parsed.
Semantic Range
In the 1st century, Amphipolis was a significant Roman colony and the capital of the first district of Macedonia, known for its strategic importance and wealth from mining. For Paul's audience, mentioning it would have conveyed a sense of a major, well-known urban center. Its inclusion in Acts highlights the extent of Paul's missionary travels into prominent Greco-Roman cities, underscoring the early church's engagement with the broader Roman world rather than remote areas.
πόλις (polis, G4172) — The general Greek word for 'city,' of which Amphipolis is a specific example.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
Full methodology & sources →