Day 3 - Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis

Today we begin our site touring with a visit to the sites of three of the churches specifically mentioned in the Book of Revelations. Remember that when we say “churches”, we don’t mean physical buildings. In the time that John wrote his letter, the Christians in these towns met in private homes. When we visit these “churches”, we are visiting the remains of the first century towns where these Christian communities lived.

We’ll first head north and visit one of the most spectacular towns of ancient Anatolia: Pergamum. John wrote this about Pergamum:

Rev 2:13 "I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives."

Pergamum has a dramatic acropolis (a hilltop within the city walls or area) 900 feet above the main village which held temples to Zeus and the Roman emperors. The main altar was so impressive, German excavators too it piece by piece to Germany and built a whole museum around it.

In Pergamum, we’ll visit the acropolis, the village of Bergama, an ancient center for healing called the Asclepion, and make a brief stop and the ruins of a Byzantine Christian church, know as the Red Church.

From here, we head south-east, passing through rolling hills, until we reach the modern town of Akhisar, the New Testament’s Thyatira. Not only was this one the Seven Churches, but it is also the home town of a Lydia, a woman who Paul converts to Christianity in Philippi.

Acts 16:14 "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message."

Only a single city block of ruins remains from ancient Thyatira and our visit there will be short.

We continue on to Sardis, to whom John wrote:

Rev 3:1 ""To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead."

Today, Sardis contains some fantastic ruins that show her ancient splendor. We will visit the town center, including the remains of a synagogue that Jews and Christians may have shared, a Roman gymnasium, and a huge temple to the goddess Artemis.
As our day ends, we will close our loop and return to our hotel in Izmir.

Thanks to Dr Carl Rasmussen (www.HolyLandPhotos.org) and Todd Bolen (www.bibleplaces.com) for some of the images in this post.