SALONICA, or SALONI'Fa (anc. Thessalonica, Turk. Selanik), a t. of European Turkey, in the vilayet of the same name, and, next to Constantinople, the greatest emporium of commerce in the empire, is situated on the gulf of Salouiki, and rises from the shore along the face of a hill. The city is inclosed by white walls, partly ancient and partly mediaeval, about five in. iu circuit, and is surrounded by cypresses and other evergreens. As seen from the sea, it presents a bright and beautiful appearance; but its internal aspect is miserable in the extreme. The principal buildings are mosques, most of which were previously Christian churches. The Citadel, called by the Turks Nrii-Kuleh, or " the Seven Towers," is the ancient Aeropolii within it are to be seen the ruins of a triumphal larch belonging to the time of Marcus Amelins. Other relics of antiquity are the Propylaeum of the hippodrome, a magnifi cent Corinthian colonnade of five pillars; the triumphal arch of Augustus, erected after the battle of Philippi (now forming the of Vardar or the arch of Constan tine, etc. Salonica exports the corn, cotton, wool, tobacco, bees-wax, and silk of
Macedonia. Salonica is connected by railway with Uskub, nearly 100 m. inland. In 1874, 1634 vessels of 5S4,825 tons, entered and cleared the port. Pop. 70,000, of whom 30,000 are Turks, 20,000 Greeks, and 20,000 Jews.
Salonica was at first called Therm, under which designation it is mentioned in con nection-with the march of Xerxes through Greece. It was rebuilt by Cassander about 315who probably named it Thessalonica in honor of his wife; and during the Roman-k , acedonian wars, it figures as the principal station of the Macedonian After the close of the civil wars, its prosperity rapidly increased. and for three centuries it was the first city in Greece. It was early the seat of a Christian church. During the barbarian invasions, it proved the great bulwark of the eastern empire. It was thrice taken in the middle ages—first, by the Saracens in 904; secondly, by the Sicilian 'Nor mans in 1185; and thirdly, by the Turks tinder Amurath II. in 1430.