After the splitting up of the Roman empire in 395 C.E., Salonika became the second most important city – after Constantinople – in the Byzantine Empire . The Byzantine emperors in their efforts to "Christianize" their subjects were hostile to the Jewish communities in their territory and especially to the Jews of Salonika.

Thessaloniki, a city of history In 315 BC, Cassander the King of Macedonia, joined up 26 townships in the Thermaikos Gulf, and thus founded a new city for his kingdom which would grow into a large commercial port as well as blossoming economically and culturally.

15/07/2014 · Traces of History: Salonika, Greece. 1. For almost five hundred years the Jews of Salonika flourished. Their city was a hub of European Jewry, a center for Torah learning attracting students and new residents from all over the world. Cultural life also thrived in the forms of journalism, theater, literature, and music.

The city of Salonika is located in northern Greece. After the invasion and occupation of Greece in April 1941, Salonika was included in the German occupation zone. The city was occupied by German forces in early April. Before World War II, Salonika had the largest Jewish community in Greece. At the time of the German occupation, the Jewish population was about 50,000.