Ἀπολλωνία
Apollōnía
G624 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A city named after the god Apollo; Apollonia refers to a Macedonian city situated on the Via Egnatia between Amphipolis and Thessalonica. Its primary lexical meaning is as a place name (toponym), denoting a locality called Apollonia.
Semantic Range
city named after Apollo, Apollonia (proper name), Macedonian city on the Via Egnatia
Root / Etymology
From Ἀπόλλων (Apollo), the major Greco-Roman deity associated with light, music, and prophecy, with the suffix -ία (-ia) forming place names. The term signifies a city dedicated to or named in honor of Apollo.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hellenistic and Roman periods, several cities bore variants of the name Ἀπολλωνία, indicating the widespread veneration of Apollo. The Apollonia mentioned in Acts 17:1 of the New Testament refers specifically to the Macedonian city. The name itself is not unique to Macedonia; other cities across the Hellenistic world also carried this designation. In the context of the New Testament, Apollonia is presented exclusively as a geographic location and not associated with ethnic or religious identity. Translations into English usually render the name directly as 'Apollonia' without further explanation, sometimes obscuring its reference to the cult of Apollo and Hellenistic urban naming practices.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the pagan deity (i.e. the sun; from ἀπόλλυμι); Apollonia, a place in Macedonia:--Apollonia.
Root Family
Ἀπολλωνία (Apollōnia) — Apollo, place associated with Apollo, city named after Apollo
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G624-01 |
Ἀπολλωνίαν | apollonian | N ACC F SG |
Apollonia | Apollonia | Apollonia | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G624-01 |
Acts 17:1 | Ἀπολλωνίαν | apollonian | N ACC F SG |
Apollonia | Apollonia | Apollonia |