Sardis Background

7/28/2019 Sardis Background

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Capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, was 46 miles east

of Smyrna, 28 miles west of Philadelphia and 31 milessouth of Thyatira, in the valley of the Hermus River

(modern Gediz) on the banks of its tributary, the Pactolus

(modern Sart Cay). The wealth of Lydia and Sardis is

legendary. The Pactolus was said to have become rich in

gold when the fabled King Midas of Phrygia bathed in its

headwaters to rid himself of the "golden touch." The

legend of the "Golden Fleece" supposedly originated from

the method of laying sheep skins in the shallows of the

Pactolus to collect gold particles. The expression "rich as

Croesus," the last Lydian king, is used to indicate an

extremely wealthy person.



In 547? BC, Cyrus, King of Persia, conquered Sardis. Ancient

historian Herodotus recorded the shock of the Lydian

defeat, as the city was considered impregnable.

Cyrus spared Croesus' life and made him his advisor and

Sardis became the headquarters for Persian administration

in western Asia Minor. The Persians built the famed RoyalRoad, a 1,600-mile-long commercial highway from Sardis to

Babylon. Near Babylon, it split into two routes, one through

the future Persian capital of Susa (in present-day Iran) and

then southeast to Persepolis. During Persian occupationSardis prospered, with a lifestyle famous for its splendor

and luxury.



Persian rule ended in 334 BC, when Sardis surrendered to

Alexander the Great. Following Alexander's death, Sardis

became a Seleucid capital, and acquired the status of aGreek city-state. In 189 BC it came under rule of the

Kingdom of Pergamum and in 133 BC it passed into the

hands of the Romans upon the death of Attallus II, the last

King of Pergamum.Under Roman rule the city again flourished until it was

devastated by an earthquake in 17 AD. Twelve cities were

destroyed in one night, but the disaster was harshest to the

citizens of Sardis. It was rebuilt by emperor Tiberias.By the end of the first century AD, Sardis had become an

important Christian center and home to a significant Jewish

community.



Google Earth view of modern Sart, ancient Sardis.



The acropolis of Sardis, a spur of Mount Tmolus, is still impressive.



Ruins of 12,000-15,000 seat Hellenistic and Roman theater in the

Acropolis at Mt. Tmolus



Remains of the Sardis theater carved into the side of the

acropolis.



Ruins of the Temple of Artemis



Sometime before 400 AD, a small brick church was constructed at

the southeastern corner of the Artemis temple.



Segment of the Royal Road at Sardis



This large gymnasium-bathhouse was built Emperor Septimius Severus

(193-211 AD) in the center of the lower city. The complex is over five

acres, with vaulted halls for bathing in the west and a large open

courtyard (palaestra) for exercise.



At the southern end of the gymnasium a large synagogue was

discovered in 1962. It measures over 300 feet in length --the largest

known ancient synagogue. It dates from the 3rd century AD when

part of the bathhouse was given to the Jewish community.



Interior of synagogue with its intricate mosaic floor. The lack of any

mention of persecution in Sardis reflects the secure position of the

city's large Jewish community. Evidently Christians and Jews co-

existed peacefully with each other and the city establishment.



Backed onto one wall of the synagogue is a row of Byzantine-era

(4th century AD) shops along the main road of the city.



One of the shops appears to have served as a Christian baptistery,

with a rectangular basin made of reused marble slabs with crosses

superimposed over pagan inscriptions and decorations.



Ruins of two churches, built one over the top of the other. One

Church was larger and older (middle of 4th century), the oldest in

Asia Minor. The round brickwork in the center is the dome of the

younger Church. Note Sardis acropolis in the background.



Large artificial hills at Bin Tepeler or Bin Tepe (Turkish "Thousand

Hills") holds 210 burial mounds dating as far as 7th and 6th

centuries BC. Believed burial grounds for leaders of Lydia. The

largest tumulus is the same size range as the pyramids of Egypt.

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Sardis Background