Thessaloniki's date of birth is unknown. While there is a
consensus that her name commemorates her father's victory in
Thessaly (it is a composite of "Thessaly" and
"nike," the Greek word for "victory"), it is
unclear which victory it specifically referred to!
Some
historians cite her birth, as being as early as 353 or 352 BC, but
346 or 345 may be more probable.
According to one narrative, to commemorate the birth of his
daughter,
which fell on the same day as more accurate. According to one
narrative, to commemorate the birth of his daughter, which fell on
the same day as the Armies of Makedon and Thessalian league won the
significant battle of Crocus Field in Thessaly over the Phocians,
King Philip is said to have proclaimed,
"Let her be
called Victory in Thessaly."
Thessaloniki returned to Makedon in 317 BC with Olympias. She, along
with Olympias, Roxana, Alexander IV of Makedon and Alexander's
betrothed, Deidameia, sought refuge in the fortress of Pydna on the
advance of Cassander
in 315 BC. The fall of Pydna and the
execution of her stepmother threw her into the power of Cassander,
who embraced the opportunity to connect himself with the Argead
dynasty by marrying her.
Cassander named the city Thessaloniki after his wife. Thessaloniki was founded on the site of ancient Thermaida, and soon became -and still is- one of the most wealthy and populous cities of Makedonia. Thessaloniki was likely the first city to be named for a Macedonian woman, though the trend continued.
