Thessalonica The port city of Thessalonica (now called Salonica or Thessaloniki) was founded by the Macedonian General Kassander in celebration of the successful campaigns against the Persians (315 BCE). With the triumphs and expansion of their influence, new wealth poured into Macedonia and allowed new settlements to be established. This port was constructed on the Thermaic Gulf and knitted together twenty-six villages (including a village called "Thermae" by Herodotus - C5 BCE in his book Polymnia -the description of Xerxes expedition against Greece) as the main seaport and naval base of Macedonia. The original villages were Doric settlements of the period of Macedonian Kings (C5-4 BCE). The new city was named after his wife (Thessalonike, daughter of Philip II and half sister of Alexander the Great).
	As the successor of Alexander the Great, Kassander had considerable resources. He erected a massive wall around the city. The position of the city only improved with the completion of the "Egnatian Way" which made the port easily accessible to other Macedonian cities. The "Via Egnatia" ran through the city and can still be seen today. Strabo the geographer (C1 BCE) in "Geographic Elements" referred to the port as the "Metropolis of Macedonia".
	The Celts attacked the city and smashed many of the defenses and walls (during the battle in which Ptolemaeus - "the Thunderbolt" was killed) but were turned back by the defenders of the town. Even the Romans were repelled in their early advances, but the city was surrendered after Perseus (King of Macedonia) was defeated at Pydna in 168 BCE. Under the Roman Empire, Thessalonica became the capital city of the Roman province of Macedonia (146 BCE). The city was referred to as the "Mother of Macedonia" in Roman writings. The orator Cicero stayed here and delivered oratory. With the rise of the Roman Civil War (49-31 BCE) Thessalonica backed Antony and Octavian (who stayed in Thessalonica after their victory). Later, the "Gate of Axous" (arch) was erected to commemorate victory at the Battle of Philippi (42 BCE). Octavian declared Thessalonica a "free city" under Politarchs (Magistrates).