▁to ▁the ▁Roman ▁Empire , ▁following ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁P yd na ▁in ▁ 1 6 8 ▁B . C . ▁During ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁Paul ▁the ▁Apost le , ▁there ▁were ▁two ▁major ▁roads ▁joining ▁the ▁towns ▁of ▁Th ess al onica ▁and ▁Bere a , ▁one ▁of ▁them ▁passing ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁ancient ▁city ▁of ▁P ella . ▁There ▁are ▁some ▁assumptions ▁that ▁the ▁Apost le ▁Paul ▁used ▁this ▁route ▁when ▁visit ing ▁Bere a . ▁ ▁Bere a ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁two ▁capit als ▁when ▁Dioc let ian ▁ruled ▁the ▁Roman ▁emp ire ▁from ▁ 2 8 4 ▁through ▁ 3 0 5 ▁A . D . ▁ ▁An cient ▁custom ▁says ▁that ▁Saint ▁On es im us ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁bishop ▁of ▁Bere a . ▁ ▁The ▁b ish ops ▁in ▁Bere a ▁were ▁under ▁the ▁authority ▁of ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁ecc les i astic ▁province ▁in ▁Th ess al onica , ▁but ▁was ▁later ▁assigned ▁its ▁own ▁ecc les i astic ▁province ▁by ▁And ron icus ▁II ▁( 1 2 8 3 - 1 3 2 8 ). ▁ ▁History ▁Bere a ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁long ▁history ▁from ▁An cient ▁times ▁till ▁the ▁modern ▁day . ▁ ▁New ▁Testament ▁references ▁Paul ▁and ▁Sil as ▁minister ed ▁to ▁the ▁Jewish ▁community ▁of ▁Bere a ▁around ▁ 5 4 ▁and ▁ 5 5 ▁A . D . ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁men ▁had ▁been ▁driven ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Th ess al onica ▁by ▁an ▁angry ▁mob ▁for ▁spread