Samothrace
Samothrace is a body of water mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Greece in modern-day Greece. Known today as Samothraki. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Samothrace appears in Acts 16:11 during a momentous passage in the history of the early church. After receiving the Macedonian vision at Troas, in which a man pleaded "Come over to Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9), Paul and his companions "set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis." This brief stopover on the island of Samothrace was part of the first recorded Christian mission to Europe, a journey that would lead to the founding of the church at Philippi, the first European congregation. Luke notes the favorable sailing conditions with the phrase "straight course," indicating a direct run with favorable winds from Troas to Samothrace, a distance of about seventy nautical miles. The mountainous island, rising over 5,000 feet from the sea, served as a natural landmark and overnight anchorage for ships crossing the northern Aegean. Though no evangelistic activity is recorded at Samothrace itself, its place in the narrative marks the geographic threshold of the gospel's westward expansion into the European continent.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Samothrace (modern Samothraki) is a mountainous Greek island in the northeastern Aegean Sea, dominated by Mount Fengari, the highest peak in the Aegean islands at 5,285 feet. The island was famous in antiquity as the home of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, a major mystery religion center that attracted initiates from across the Greek and Roman world. Archaeological excavations, conducted principally by New York University since 1938, have uncovered the extensive sanctuary complex, including the famous Winged Victory of Samothrace (Nike), now in the Louvre, discovered in 1863. The ancient harbor on the north coast would have been where Paul's ship anchored overnight. The island remains sparsely populated today, with the ancient sanctuary serving as a major archaeological site and tourist attraction.
Verse Appearances (1)
Acts
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →