Map of Greece showing Philippi

Philippi (in Greek Φίλιπποι Philippoi) was a city in eastern Macedonia, established by Philip II in 356 BC and abandoned in the 14th century after the Ottoman conquest. The present municipality Filippoi is located near the ruins of the ancient city and it is part of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace in Greece.

History[link]

Artefacts from the Archeology museum of Philippi

Philippi was established by the king of Macedon, Philip II, on the site of the Thasian colony of Krinides or Crenides (Κρηνἱδες, "Fountains"), near the head of the Aegean Sea at the foot of Mt. Orbelos about 8 miles north-west of Kavalla, on the northern border of the marsh that in Antiquity covered the entire plain separating it from the Pangaion hills to the south of Greece.

The objective of founding the town was to take control of the neighbouring gold mines and to establish a garrison at a strategic passage: the site controlled the route between Amphipolis and Neapolis, part of the great royal route which crosses Macedonia from the east to the west and which was reconstructed later by the Roman Empire as the Via Egnatia. Philip II endowed the new city with important fortifications, which partially blocked the passage between the swamp and Mt. Orbelos, and sent colonists to occupy it. Philip also had the marsh partially drained, as is attested by the writer Theophrastus. Philippi preserved its autonomy within the kingdom of Macedon and had its own political institutions (the Assembly of the demos). The discovery of new gold mines near the city, at Asyla, contributed to the wealth of the kingdom and Philip established a mint there. The city was finally fully integrated into the kingdom under Philip V.

The city remained. It contained 2,000 people. When the Romans destroyed the Antigonid dynasty of Macedon in 167 BC and divided it into four separate states (merides), it was Amphipolis and not Philippi that became the capital of the eastern Macedonian state.

Almost nothing is known about the city in this period, aside from the walls, the Greek theatre, the foundations of a house under the Roman forum and a little temple dedicated to a hero cult. This monument covers the tomb of a certain Exekestos, is possibly situated on the agora and is dedicated to the κτίστης (ktistès), the foundation hero of the city.

The Roman era[link]

Ruins of the centre of the city: the forum in the foreground, the market and the basilica in the background.

The city reappears in the sources during the Roman civil war that followed the assassination of Julius Caesar. His heirs Mark Antony and Octavian confronted the assassins of Caesar, Marcus Junius Brutus and Cassius, at the Battle of Philippi in the plain to the west of the city during October in 42 BC. Antony and Octavian were victorious in this final battle against the partisans of the Republic. They released some of their veteran soldiers, probably from legion XXVIII and colonized them in the city, which was refounded as Colonia Victrix Philippensium. In 30 BC, Octavian became Roman emperor, reorganized the colony, and established more settlers there, veterans possibly from the Praetorian Guard and other Italians. The city was renamed Colonia Iulia Philippensis, and then Colonia Augusta Iulia Philippensis after January, 27 BC, when Octavian received the title Augustus from the Roman Senate.

Following this second renaming, and perhaps after the first, the territory of Philippi was centuriated (divided into squares of land) and distributed to the colonists. The city kept its Macedonian walls, and its general plan was modified only partially by the construction of a forum, a little to the east of the site of Greek agora. It was a "miniature Rome," under the municipal law of Rome and governed by two military officers, the duumviri, who were appointed directly from Rome.

The colony recognized its dependence on the mines that brought it its privileged position on the Via Egnatia. This wealth was shown by the many monuments that were particularly imposing considering the relatively small size of the urban area: the forum, laid out in two terraces on both sides of the main road, was constructed in several phases between the reigns of Claudius and Antoninus Pius, and the theatre was enlarged and expanded in order to hold Roman games. There is an abundance of Latin inscriptions testifying to the prosperity of the city.

The early Christian era[link]

Basilica B, seen from the southwest, and the acropolis in the background.

Inscription of Bishop Porphyrios in the Basilica of Paul.

According to the New Testament, in AD 49 or 50, the city was visited by the apostle Paul (Acts 16:9-10). From the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16:12) and the letter to the Philippians (Philippians 1:1), early Christians concluded that Paul had founded their community. Accompanied by Silas, Timothy and possibly Luke, the author of the Acts of the Apostles, he is believed to have preached for the first time on European soil in Philippi (Acts 16:12-40). According to the New Testament, Paul visited the city on two other occasions, in 56 and 57. The Epistle to the Philippians dates from around 61-62 and is believed to show the immediate impact of Paul's instruction.

The development of Christianity in Philippi is indicated by a letter from Polycarp of Smyrna addressed to the community in Philippi around AD 160 and by funerary inscriptions.

The first church described in the city is a small building that was probably originally a small prayer house. This Basilica of Paul, identified by an mosaic inscription on the pavement, is dated around 343 from a mention by the bishop Porphyrios, who was present at the Council of Serdica that year.

The prosperity of the city in the 5th and 6th centuries was attributed to Paul and to his ministry. As in other cities, many new ecclesiastical buildings were constructed at this time. Seven different churches were constructed in Philippi between the mid-4th century and the end of the 6th, some of which competed in size and decoration with the most beautiful buildings in Thessalonica, or even those of Constantinople. The relationship of the plan and of the architectural decoration of Basilica B with Hagia Sophia and Saint Irene in Constantinople accorded a privileged place to this church in the history of early Christian art. The complex cathedral which took the place of the Basilica of Paul at the end of the 5th century, constructed around an octagonal church, also rivaled the churches of Constantinople.

In the same age, the fortifications of the city were rebuilt in order to better defend against the growing instability in the Balkans. In 473, the city was besieged by the Ostrogoths, who were unable to take it but burned down the surrounding villages.

The Byzantine and Ottoman era[link]

Ruins at Philippi.

Already weakened by the Slavic invasions at the end of the 6th century, which ruined the agrarian economy of Macedonia and probably also by the Plague of Justinian in 547, the city was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake around 619, from which it never recovered. There was a small amount of activity there in the 7th century, but the city was now hardly more than a village.

The Byzantine Empire possibly maintained a garrison there, but in 838 the city was taken by the Bulgars under kavhan Isbul, who celebrated their victory with a monumental inscription on the stylobate in Basilica B, now partially in ruins. The site of Philippi was so strategically sound that the Byzantines attempted very soon to recapture it ca. 850. Several seals of civil servants and other Byzantine officials, dated to the first half of the 9th century, prove the presence of Byzantine armies in the city.

Around 969, Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas rebuilt the fortifications on the acropolis and in part of the city. These gradually helped weaken Bulgar power and strengthen the Byzantine presence in the area. In 1077, Bishop Basil Kartzimopoulos rebuilt part of the defenses inside the city. The city began to prosper once more, as witnessed by the Arab geographer Al Idrisi, who mentions it as a centre of business and wine production around 1150.

After a brief occupation by the Franks after the Fourth Crusade and the capture of Constantinople in 1204, the city fell into the hands of the Serbs. Still, it remained a notable fortification on the route of the ancient Via Egnatia; in 1354, the pretender to the Byzantine throne, Matthew Cantacuzenus, was captured there by the Serbs.

The city was abandoned at an unknown date, but when the French traveller Pierre Belon visited it in the 16th century, there were nothing but ruins, used by the Turks as a quarry. The name of the city was preserved at first by a Turkish village on the nearby plain, Philibedjik (Filibecik, "Little Filibe" in Turkish), which has since disappeared and then by a Greek village in the mountains.

Archaeological excavation of the site[link]

The ruins of Direkler (Basilica B), drawn by H. Daumet in 1861.

Noted or briefly described by 16th century travellers, the first archaeological description of the city was made in 1856 by Perrot, then in 1861 by L. Heuzey and H. Daumet in their famous Mission archéologique de Macédoine. Nevertheless the first excavations did not begin until the summer of 1914, and were soon interrupted by the First World War. The excavations, carried out by the École française d'Athènes, were renewed in 1920 and continued until 1937. During this time the Greek theatre, the forum, Basilicas A and B, the baths and the walls were excavated. After the Second World War, Greek archaeologists returned to the site. From 1958 to 1978, the Société Archéologique, then the Service archéologique and the University of Thessalonica uncovered the bishop's quarter and the octagonal church, large private residences, a new basilica near the Museum and two others in the necropolis to the east of the city.

Explanation board of Phlippi Archeological Museum financing

In the Bible[link]

According to the New Testament, in AD 49 or 50 the city was visited by the apostle Paul who was guided there by a vision (Acts 16:9-10). Accompanied by Silas, Timothy and possibly Luke, the author of the Acts of the Apostles, he preached for the first time on European soil in Philippi (Acts 16:12-40) and baptized Lydia, a purple dye merchant, in a river to the west of the city. While in Philippi, his exorcism of a demon from a slave girl caused a great uproar in the city, which led to their (Paul and Silas) arrest and public beating (Acts 16:16-24). An earthquake caused their prison to be opened. When the jailer awoke, he prepared to kill himself, thinking all the prisoners had escaped and knowing that he would be severely punished. Paul stopped him, indicating that all the prisoners were in fact still there. The jailer then became one of the first Christians in Europe (Acts 16:25-40).

Paul visited the city at least on two other occasions, in 56 and 57. The Epistle to the Philippians dates from around 61-62 and shows the immediate impact of Paul's instruction.

References[link]

Translated from the French Wikipedia article, retrieved February 11, 2005. That article, in turn, gives the following references:

• Ch. Bakirtzis, H. Koester (ed.), Philippi at the Time of Paul and after His Death, Harrisburg, 1998. (English)
• P. Collart, Philippes ville de Macédoine de ses origines jusqu'à la fin de l'époque romaine, Paris, 1937. (French)
• G. Gounaris, E. Gounaris, Philippi: Archaeological Guide, Thessaloniki, 2004. (Greek)
• P. Lemerle, Philippes et la Macédoine orientale, Paris, 1945. (French)
• M. Sève, "De la naissance à la mort d'une ville : Philippes en Macédoine (IVe siècle av. J.-C.–VIIe siècle apr. J.-C.)", Histoire urbaine n° 1, juin 2000, 187–204. (French)
• Ch. Koukouli-Chrysanthaki, Ch. Bakirtzis, Philippi Athens, second edition, 1997. (English)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Philippi

• Philippi - Catholic Encyclopedia
• Livius, Philippi by Jona Lendering (ancient history)

Coordinates: 41°00′47″N 24°17′11″E / 41.01306°N 24.28639°E / 41.01306; 24.28639

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Stan Efferding (born November 6, 1967 in Portland, Oregon), is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder and powerlifter.

Biography[link]

Stan Efferding, born November 6, 1967 in Portland Oregon, graduated from Cambria Heights High School in Patton Pennsylvania in 1985. He had a college scholarship to play soccer for Warner Pacific College, but he decided to go to University of Oregon, where he studied Psychology.

Efferding competed in bodybuilding since 1988 winning the Mr. Oregon in 1991, placing 6th in the Jr. USA in 1992 and placing 2nd in the Emerald Cup in 1996 and 1997. Efferding started competing in powerlifting in 1996 totaling over 2,000 lbs in the Pepsi Region 8 challenge, deadlifting 782 lbs raw.

In 1997 Efferding stopped competing in both sports in order to pursue business opportunities, but continued lifting.

At the age of 38, Efferding came back to bodybuilding and competed in the 2006 Seattle Emerald Cup, winning the Superheavyweight class weighing 235 lbs. In 2008 he came back and won the Emerald Cup Heavyweight class and overall award. In February 2009 at the age of 41 Efferding totaled 2,070 lbs at the APA "All RAW" Northwest Regional Championships, setting 2 American records in the open category.

Efferding earned his IFBB Pro Card on July 17, 2009 winning the Superheavyweight class and overall award at the Masters Nationals Bodybuilding Championships weighing 259 lbs.

On September 19, 2009, Efferding entered an SPF Sanctioned Raw Powerlifting meet in Sacramento California and totaled 2,221 lbs in 275 lbs category, just 29 lbs away from All-Time American Raw Record, set in 1972 by Jon Cole. Stan squatted 821 lbs, Bench pressed 606 pounds (earning him a place on the Raw bench hall of fame), and deadlifted 794 pounds.

Mr. Olympia 2010 World's Strongest Professional Bodybuilder - Stan Efferding won this title benching 628 lbs and deadlifting 800 lbs for a 1,428 lb push/pull total. This set a new record for the worlds strongest bodybuilder and beat the previous title holders record by nearly 100 pounds.

In May, 2011, Stan entered an SPF sanctioned raw powerlifting competition and competed without knee wraps. Stan set two all-time world records, squatting 854lbs and a three lift total of 2,226lbs beating the former world record holder, Konstantin Konstantinov of Latvia, by over 50lbs.

Efferding is the #1 ranked raw powerlifter in America, he currently holds the Raw Record for the Squat and Total of 2,226 LBS.

Competitive stats[link]

• Height: 6'0"
• Weight: 275 lbs

Contest history[link]

• 2008 NPC Emerald Cup Heavyweight and overall 1st^[1]
• 2009 NPC Masters, Teen & Collegiate National Championship Superheavyweight and Overall 1st ^[2]
• 2010 IFBB Phoenix Pro - 16th
• 2010 IFBB Orlando Europa Pro - 14th
• 2010 Mr. Olympia Worlds Strongest Pro Bodybuilder - 1st
• 2011 IFBB Flex Pro - 9th
• 2012 IFBB Flex Pro - 13th

Powerlifting Best Lifts[link]

• Raw Bench press: 606.3 lbs (275 kg) - SPF September 2009 ^[3]
• Raw, no knee wraps, Squat (exercise): 854.2 lbs (387.5 kg) - SPF May 2012^[3]
• Raw Deadlift: 793.7 lbs (360 kg) - SPF September 2009 ^[3]
• Equipped Deadlift: 825 lbs (374.21 kg) - Pride March 2008 Equipped
• Raw, no knee wraps, Total: 2,226.2 lbs (1,007.52 kg) - SPF May 2012 ^[3]

External links[link]

• Stan Efferding profile

References[link]

1. ^ 2008 NPC Emerald Cup Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships Results
2. ^ 2009 NPC Masters, Teen & Collegiate National Championships Results
3. ^ ^{a b c d} California Raw Powerlifting Meet Results

Mark Philippi
Born	Mark Philippi (1963-03-21) March 21, 1963 (age 49) Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin[1] USA
Residence	Las Vegas, Nevada[2]
Occupation	Strongman, Powerlifting
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight	300 pounds (140 kg)

Competition record
Strongman
Competitor for  United States
World's Strongest Man
7th	1997 World's Strongest Man
8th	1998 World's Strongest Man
Qualified	1999 World's Strongest Man
Qualified	2000 World's Strongest Man
Qualified	2001 World's Strongest Man
Qualified	2003 World's Strongest Man
Arnold Strongman Classic
4th	2002 Arnold Strongman Classic
4th	2004 Arnold Strongman Classic
4th	2005 Arnold Strongman Classic
World Muscle Power Championships
2nd	1997
3rd	1998
2nd	1999
World Strongman Challenge
2nd	1998
Beauty and the Beast
1st	1998
4th	2000
America's Strongest Man
1st	1997
3rd	2001
8th	2002
3rd	2003
All-American Strongman Challenge
4th	2006
Powerlifting
Competitor for  United States
WDFPF World Powerlifting Championships[3]
1st	1996	145kg

Mark Philippi (born 21 March 1963) – is a world champion powerlifter and strongman competitor. Mark is a multiple entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition, and former holder of the America's Strongest Man title.^[1]

Strongman[link]

As a young man, Mark saw the early strongman competitions featuring his soon-to-be hero, Bill Kazmaier. He has stated that having seen Kazmaier on television he said to himself "I want to be like Bill." A career in athletic events focused on strength including powerlifting and strength athletics followed.

After winning the title of America's Strongest Man in 1997, he went on to represent his country in the 1997 World's Strongest Man finals, the first of seven appearances. He made the final on 2 occasions, but his greatest success came in the World Muscle Power Championships where he placed in the top three on three consecutive occasions form 1997 to 1999. His progress to become the best in the field was hindered by two major injuries that required extensive rehabilitation. In 1998, Philippi was severely injured at the 1998 World's Strongest Man during the car flip event where he ruptured his patella tendon and also partially tore his biceps tendon when the car rolled back on him. Surgery and a long rehabilitation followed but when he returned to strongman contests in 2000 he ruptured a patella tendon again. Philippi returned to competition in 2001 and placed third in the America’s Strongest Man contest..^[2]

Powerlifting/Football[link]

As well as a successful career as a strength athlete, Mark was also a highly rated world champion powerlifter. He won the WDFPF World Drug Free Power Lifting Championships in 1996. In College, Mark was an offensive lineman and three-year starter at Montana Tech from 1983 to 1987.

Outside competition[link]

Mark opened the Philippi Sports Institute^[4][5] Mark has written for, and been featured in, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Muscle and Fitness, Sports Illustrated, Las Vegas Life, Ironmind and Powerlifting USA.^[6] and written or appeared in articles in Sports Illustrated, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness and the New York Daily News. In addition he lectures on Coaching, Motivation, Strength Training, and Conditioning. For a number of years he has also been an instructor and designer of the Academic Strength Curriculum at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada.

Statistics^[7][8]

• Height 183 cm
• Weight 138 – 150 kg
• biceps 51 cm
• Chest 150 cm

Personal life[link]

Mark s married to Tracey with whom he has four children (Marc, born 1993, McKayla born 1998, Zach born 2001 and a fourth child born 2004).

Strongman Competition record[link]

• 1997
  • 1. - America’s Strongest Man 1997
  • 2. - World Muscle Power Classic
  • 7. - World's Strongest Man 1997, USA
• 1998
  • 1. - Beauty and the Beast
  • 3. - World Muscle Power Classic
  • 8. - World's Strongest Man 1998, (injured)
• 1999
  • 2. - World Muscle Power Classic
• 2001
  • 3. - America’s Strongest Man 2001
• 2002
  • 4. - Arnold Strongman Classic
  • 8. - America’s Strongest Man 2002
• 2003
  • 3. - America’s Strongest Man 2003
• 2004
  • 4. - Arnold Strongman Classic
  • 9. - Strongman Super Series 2004: Moscow
  • 6. - World's Strongest Team 2004
• 2005
  • 4. - Arnold Strongman Classic
• 2006
  • 4. - FitExpo Strongman 2006
  • 10. - Strongman Super Series 2006: Mohegan Sun
• 2007
  • 6. - Strongman Super Series 2007: Mohegan Sun
  • 5. - Strongman Super Series 2007: Venice Beach
  • 4. - North America's Strongest Man 2007
• 2008
  • 9. - Strongman Super Series 2008: New York

Other sports[link]

Powerlifting[link]

• 1996
  • 1. - 1996 American Drug Free Powerlifting National Championships
  • 1. - 1996 World Drug Free Powerlifting Federation Championships

American Football[link]

• Offensive lineman and three-year starter at Montana Tech (1983–1987)

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b} http://www.americanstrongman.org/athletes/detail.asp?AthleteID=31
2. ^ ^{a b} Profile at Official site of Arnold's Strongest Man
3. ^ http://en.allpowerlifting.com/lifters/USA/phillippi-miark-9050/
4. ^ http://arnoldsstrongestman.com/2002%20Competitors.htm
5. ^ http://www.philippisportsinstitute.com/index.php/staff
6. ^ http://www.philippisportsinstitute.com/
7. ^ http://arnoldsstrongestman.com/mark_philippi.htm
8. ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20080606184151/http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/wsm/strong_man/philippi.html

Charles "Chuck" Missler is an author, evangelical Christian, Bible teacher, former businessman and US Naval officer. He is the founder of the Koinonia House ministry based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Biography[link]

Missler was for several years the chairman, the chief executive, and the largest shareholder of Western Digital. In 1983 he became the chairman and chief executive of Helionetics Inc., another technology company.^[1] After teaching for many years at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, Missler moved to Coeur d'Alene in 1992 and founded Koinonia House. Through this organization, Missler distributes a monthly newsletter, Bible study tapes, and a radio show, and speaks at conferences.^[2]

Missler is a prominent speaker on the subject of bible prophecy.^[3] Missler has had numerous programs aired on the Christian television station GOD TV, namely the DVD versions of his biblical studies "Learn the Bible in 24 Hours", "The Book of Revelation", "The Book of Genesis", and "The Book of Daniel".^{[citation needed]} A Los Angeles Times article reported that Missler and co-author Hal Lindsey had plagiarized a portion of Miami University Professor Edwin Yamauchi's 1982 book Foes From the Northern Frontier in their own 1992 book The Magog Factor.^[4] A YouTube video in which Missler uses a jar of peanut butter to attempt to disprove evolution attracted media attention in 2007-2008.^[5][6]

Books[link]

• 2002 Learn the Bible in 24 Hours Pub: Nelson Books ISBN 0-7852-6429-9
• 2006 Prophecy 20/20: Profiling the Future Through the Lens of Scripture Pub: Thomas Nelson ISBN 0-7852-1889-0
• Alien Encounters: The Secret Behind the UFO Phenomenon. Koinonia House. 2003. ISBN 1-57821-205-7. 
• Eastman, Mark, & Missler, Chuck (1995). The Creator: Beyond Time & Space. Word For Today. ISBN 0-936728-61-2. 
• Cosmic Codes: Hidden Messages From the Edge of Eternity. Koinonia House. 2004. ISBN 1-57821-255-3. 
• Hidden Treasures in the Biblical Text. Koinonia House. 2000. ISBN 1-57821-127-1. 

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

• Koinonia House – Official website

The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's general notability guideline. Please help to establish notability by adding reliable, secondary sources about the topic. If notability cannot be established, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. (April 2008)

Mike Mahler is a vegan strength coach and kettlebell instructor based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mike has trained many world class mixed martial arts fighters, such as former UFC light heavyweight champion, Frank Shamrock and is a leader in the field of strength and conditioning and the development of modern kettlebell lifting.

Mahler is the author of a several DVDs, including The Kettlebell Solution For Size and Strength and The Kettlebell Solution For Speed and Explosive Strength. He has also written the book, Mahler's Aggressive Strength Kettlebell Workshop Manual. Mahler is a regular contributor to Hardcore Muscle Magazine, Testosterone Magazine, Ironman, Ironman Magazine Japan, Industry Magazine, Vegsource and Exercise Magazine For Men.

External links[link]

• Official website
• [1]

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