Encyclopedia entry
Colony
The city of Philippi was a Roman colony (Acts 16:12), i.e., a military settlement of Roman soldiers and citizens, planted there to keep in subjection a newly-conquered district. A colony was Rome in miniature, under Roman municipal law, but governed by military officers (praetors and lictors), not by proconsuls. It had an independent internal government, the jus Italicum; i.e., the privileges of Italian citizens.
Also from Smith's (1884) +−
a designation of Philippi, in (Acts 16:12) After the battle of Actium, Augustus assigned to his veterans those parts of Italy which had espoused the cause of Antony, and transported many of the expelled inhabitants to Philippi, Dyrrhachium and other cities. In this way Philippi was made a Roman colony with the “Jus Italicum.” At first the colonists were all Roman citizens, and entitled to vote at Rome.
In the Bible
1
Verses where Colony is named. Berean Standard Bible (public domain).
- Acts 16:12
From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
Scripture on Colony
1
Voices on Colony
1
Surfaced by name match — accuracy varies by title clarity.
Sources · Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884)
Public-domain text. Modernized only where archaic spelling impedes reading; original facts preserved. Verify against an authoritative modern reference before quoting.