Philadelphia was located about thirty miles southeast of Sardis. Its acropolis rests on a spur of the Tmolus range with the basin of the Cogamus River stretching below. Philadelphia was founded by the king of Pergamum, Attalus II (159–138 BC). When the Romans attempted to turn Attalus against his brother Eumenes, he remained loyal, thereby earning the nickname “Philadelphus.” The city’s name thus reflects the love between these brothers.
The city’s coins featured a Macedonian shield, suggesting that Macedonians were early settlers in Philadelphia. Because of its newness, the city had few religious traditions. An inscription from around 100 B.C. documents the presence of cultic altars in the city for at least ten gods and goddesses. Inscriptional evidence shows the city having a priest of Rome and Augustus as early as 27/26 B.C. There is no archaeological evidence for a synagogue (“of Satan”; Rev 3:9). A third century A.D. inscription found east of the city does mention a “synagogue of the Hebrews.”
The city was located in an earthquake-prone region called the Catacecaumene, the “burnt land.” Both Sardis and Philadelphia were devastated by an earthquake in A.D. 17. The only crop that would produce in the volcanic soil was grapes, and vineyards dotted the countryside (and continue to do so until today). Philadelphia received a new name twice in the first century; first after the A.D. 17 earthquake to “Neocaesarea” in gratitude for Tiberius’ generosity, second to “Flavia” after Vespasian gave financial assistance following a similar catastrophe. Philadelphia is the sixth of the seven churches addressed by John in Revelation. Ammia and Quadratus are known Christian prophets from Philadelphia in the early second century. At Polycarp’s martyrdom, eleven Christians from Philadelphia were also martyred with him.\
Philadelphia