Brief Historical Overview: According to historians, it was Kassandros, one of the Descendants of Alexander the Great, who founded the city in 315 B.C. The city was named after his wife, Thessaloniki, the stepsister of Alexander the Great and a daughter of Filippos B’ after his second marriage to the Princess of Thessaly, Nikisipoli.
The name comes from the combination of two names Thessalon and Niki, to commemorate the victory of the Macedonian and Thessalon army, over the alliance of Res and Fokees, during the 3rd Holy War.
Stravon and Stephan of Byzantine, provide testimony on the city foundation, where it is stated that Kassandros, a usurper of the Macedonian Kingdom, has founded the city, on a central axis around the ancient town of Thermi, after the residents of 26 sea villages were driven away.
In 168 BC, following the occupation of the Kingdom of Antigonidon, the city becomes a part of the Roman Empire.
In the first years of occupation, the city is the capital in one of the four regions, in which the Greek State was partitioned and it was covering the area from Strymonas, to Axios.
As the uprising of Andriskos fails to dominate the political scene, the following administration change establishes Makedonia as one of the roman prefectures (Provincia Macedonia)
Following the construction of Egmatia Odos (Via egnatia), between 146-120 BC, using to connect Adriatica Sea with Ellispontos and Minor Asia, Thesaaloniki becomes the city-hub in a greater area, being a serious player in the commercial activity. The city provided support to the movement of army till the second half of the 2nd century.
The victory of Antonios and Octavianos in Filippoi in 42 B.C., gives the city the characteristic of a free city (Civitas libera), granting a number of administration privileges at the same time.
During the last pro-Christian century, a Jewish minority settles in the city in the area around the port. This is the spot where Apostle Paul is preaching the Christian faith in 50 B.C.
While Galerios is the Emperor of the Roman Empire, the Christian characteristic of the city becomes stronger. This is the period when Saint Dimitrios (A Roman officer who denied to renounce the Christian faith), is preaching Christianity and becomes a martyr. Eventually Saint Dimitrios was accepted as the patron saint of the city at a later stage.
Pax Romana finds the city with a series of honorary titles. Thessaloniki was even established as the capital city for Galerios, in the years of the decadence of the Roman Empire.
Konstantinos the Great used the city as the military base for army attacks, having in parallel a new port constructed for the docking of trade vessels and army vessels (galeres).
The development of the city shows a higher rate of development, as the capital is transferred to Konstantinoupolis.
Thessaloniki suffers a series of occupations, by the Normands first, in 1185, followed by an occupation by the Franks in 1204.The King of Franks, Bonifatios, founds the Kingdom of Thessaloniki (Rouyaume de Thessalonique), which only lasts for a 20 years period.
The tyrant of Ipiros, Theodoros Doukas, occupies the city in 1224 and he designates it as the capital of his state, being in a war with the Empire of Nikaia.
As the Ottoman army is marching through the European land, Balkans occupation was inevitable. In 1837, after a siege of four years, the city is occupied by the Sultan Vagiazit the A’.
As historial bring the testimony, the fact that Manouil the B’ escapes from the city and he becomes the Emperor, infuriates the Sultan who orders the destruction of Thessaloniki in 1391.
This first occupation lasted till the year 1403. By this time Manouil taking advantage of the defeat of Vagiazit by Tamerlan and the struggle for sucession between the sons of the Sultan, gains control of the city, in return for assistance to one of Vagiazit sons, Souleiman Tselempi.
In 1420, the city changes hands again and the Venetians occupy the city, for a short period of seven years. This is a period that the life of the city has declined seriously.
In 1430, following a siege of three days, the Ottoman army regains control of Thessaloniki.
A large population of Jewish people settles down in the city, as the Ottomans to give their allowance for this. Since then this minority has been proved as the most active and dominant part of the local population.
Thessaloniki has always been a multi cultural spot. It is worth mentioning here, what a French writer says, that the city has 48 mosques, 30 Greek churches and 36 synagogues.
The end of the Russian-Turk war restores the calm conditions in the land of Europe and the city shows an increase in its trade potential. A dramatic growth in the population of Thessaloniki is monitored during the last decades of the 19th century, from 50000 (1865), to 90000 (1880) and to 120000 (1895).
The Consulates slaughter, in May of 1876, comes as a result of the influence exerted by the French Revolution and the National Ideology
The Greek inhabitants have had a quite strong conflict with Bulgarian people, trying to shift Orthodox populations to Bulgarian Exarchia, from the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchy. This was supported by the movement of komitatzides. The ultimate goal was to create Bulgarian populations out of the Greek ones taken as prisoners of war.
Following the conflict of the April 1903, the struggle comes to its full scale, with the Macedonian Struggle (1904-1908).
In a parallel line the movement of Neoturks, originated in the city of Thessaloniki, succeeds to the granting of a Constitution (1908).
The Kingdoms of Greece, Serbia and Montenegro, declare the war to the Ottoman Empire, attempting to regain control and rearrangement of its European lands.
Obviously the undisputable prize for Greeks and Bulgarians was always the city of Thessaloniki. A number of victories by the Greek army give the Greeks a small advantage. Following information on the movement of Bulgarian army towards Thessaloniki the Greek army changes its course and it is heading toward the city as well. After the victory in the Combat of Giannitsa (25/10/1912), the Greek army surrounds the city which finally comes to their control, after the Commander Tachtsin Pasas surrenders in 26/101912.
In the first years following its liberation, the city maintains the Ottoman administration.
The large fire of 1917 was devastating for most of the city and the worst disaster in its modern history.
Finally, in the period 1922 – 1924, through the programme for the exchange of populations, a large number of people from Minor Asia and Pontos, settled in the city.