THESSALONICA, the ancient name of Salonica, an important city of Macedonia. Its present condition and the principal ancient remains are described in the article SALONICA; so that it is only necessary here to give a brief sketch of its ancient history. It was originally called Therma, and received its better known name after Thessalonica, the daughter of Philip of Macedon, and wife of Cassander, who rebuilt the city about 315 B.C. It began to rise into importance after this event; although even before it is mentioned on several occasions by the Greek historians. It was the principal naval station in Macedonia, and on its conquest by the Romans after the battle of Pydna, was made the capital of one of the divisions of the country. At a later period it became the capital of the whole province, and was raised to the rank of a free city, governed by its own magistrates called politarchæ. A Christian church was established here by St Paul, and the city was long distinguished in the annals of religion as much as in those of the political affairs of the East. In 390 A.D., on the occasion of a riot in the city, a dreadful massacre was perpetrated by order of the Emperor Theodosius; but Thessalonica seems to have soon recovered from this blow, and did good service to the empire in the Slavonian and
Gothic wars. It was captured by the Saracens in 904, by the Latins under Tancred in 1185, and finally by the Turks in 1430.