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 politarchos. 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.

THESALY, a division formerly of Greece, and now of the Ottoman empire, lying between N. Lat. 39. and 40. 30., E. Long. 21. 30. and 23. 25.; bounded on the N. by Macedonia, E. by the Gulfs of Salonica and Volo (anc. those of Therma and Pagase), S. by the modern kingdom of Greece, the ancient states of Eoïda, Doris, Phocis, and Locris; and W. by Albania, the ancient Epirus. Length from N. to S. 98 miles, extreme breadth 70; area, 5500 square miles. It consists of a rich and well cultivated plain, enclosed on all sides by mountain-ridges; that of Pindus bounding it on the west, the Cambunian Mountains, which terminate in the lofty summit of Olympus, on the north, the parallel ranges of Othrys and Geta on the south, and those of Pelion and Ossa on the east, a short distance from the sea. The only break in these mountain barriers is the Vale of Tempe in the north-east, through which the Peneus flows into the sea; this river, with its affluents, watering nearly the whole country. The principal productions are corn, rice, wine, silk, olives, tobacco and wool. Thessaly is said to have been originally inhabited by the Boeotians; who, 60 years after the Trojan war, were expelled by a body of Thessalians from Epirus. This account is probably true in substance; for in later times we find in Thessaly, besides the Thessalians proper, a number of other tribes, such as the Perinabhi on the slopes of Olympus, the Magnetones on those of Ossa and Pelion, the Achaeans between Pindus and the Gulf of Pagase, and the Malians between Othrys and Geta; and there were also a class of serfs, called Penestæ, similar to the Helots at Sparta. The country was anciently divided into four districts called Thessaliotis, Pelasgiotis, Histiaiotis, and Phthiotis; which were all united under a magistrate called a Tagus; but his authority does not seem to have been very great, and the country was rarely united in counsel or action. Hence there is little in its history that is worth recording; and we most frequently hear of Thessaly only in connection with the dissensions and civil wars of the different cities. Along with the rest of Greece, Thessaly fell under the power of Macedon; and after the Roman conquest, it was made a part of that province. The battle of Pharsalia, between Caesar and Pompey was fought in this country. The principal modern towns are Larissa, Trikala, Volo, and Ambelakia. Pop. estimated at 500,000.