Here the apostle Paul arrived after his departing from Troas, (Acts 16. 11.) It was an island in the gean Sea.
An island in the North-Aegean Sea, on the coast of Thrace, nearly midway between Troas and Philippi. On his first visit to Europe, Paul anchored for the night on the north of the island, Mal 16:11 . It was anciently called Samos; and in order to distinguish it from the other Samos, the epithet Thracian was added. Samothracia contained a lofty mountain and a city of the same name, and was celebrated for its devotion to the heathen mysteries, particularly to those of Ceres and Proserpine. Hence the island received the epithet of "sacred," and was regarded as an inviolable asylum for all fugitives and criminals. It is now called by the Turks Semendrek.\par
In the Aegean. A conspicuous landmark to sailors; in Paul’s first voyage to Europe from Troas to Neapolis (Act 16:11). He sailed with a fair wind in going, so that his voyage took him only parts of two days, anchoring for the night at Samothracia, but in returning five (Act 20:6). The ancient city, and probably the anchorage, was on the N. side sufficiently sheltered from a S.E. wind; this wind would counteract the opposing current which sets S. from the Hellespont, and E. between Samothracia and the mainland.