Sardis

Rev 3:4 “Sardis” - Site Study with Image

Sardis was situated inland on the south side of the fertile Hermus River valley approximately 35 miles southeast of Thyatira and 60 miles east of Smyrna. It was the capital of the Lydian empire (ca 680–547 BC). The legendary king Croesus (c 560–547 BC) derived his wealth from the gold of the Pactolus River that flowed through the city. As the west terminus of the Royal Road that ran east to the Persian capitals of Susa and Persepolis, Sardis prospered greatly from trade, especially its textiles. Following Alexander the Great’s capture of the city from the Persians in 334 B.C., it served as the western capital of the Seleucid Empire (281–190 BC). The Attalid dynasty in Pergamum controlled Sardis from 190–133 B.C. The city then became part of the Roman province of Asia. In AD 17 Sardis was devastated by an earthquake but rebuilt with aid from the emperor Tiberius. The population during the Roman period numbered between 60,000 and 100,000 residents. Sardis was the fifth church addressed by John in the book of Revelation (Rev 3:1-6). Melito was a prominent bishop of Sardis in the second century A.D. Melito’s only extant work is the Homily on the Passion as well as a letter he preserved from Antoninus Pius forbidding the koinon (commoners) of Asia to continue the persecution of Christians.

The archaeological site of Sardis is 32 miles to the southeast from Thyatira and was on the Roman road between Laodicea and Pergamon, which was 38 miles away.¹ Until the sixth century B.C. it was the capital of Lydia in southern Turkey, and was one of the most significant cities of Asia Minor. The city was well fortified with a moat surrounding the virtually impregnable walls, but on two occurrences was entered by foreign soldiers who scaled its walls. Wide knowledge of this may have given rise to the apostle John's statements regarding staying awake and the need to watch (Rev 3:2, 3). During emperor Tiberius' reign he helped rebuild the city from an earthquake that destroyed it in A.D. 17. Because of this the people of Sardis built a large monument in his honor, possibly contrasted by John with the pillar or monument in the pillar of God's temple (Rev 3:12). Sardis was known for its fruit, wool (cf Rev 3:4, 5), and the temple of the goddess Cybele. The gold found near the city in the river Pactolus made it wealthy, and it was the first place that coins of gold and silver were struck.²

Sardis was situated inland on the south side of the fertile Hermus River valley approximately 35 miles southeast of Thyatira and 60 miles east of Smyrna. It was the capital of the Lydian empire (ca 680–547 BC). The legendary king Croesus (c 560–547 BC) derived his wealth from the gold of the Pactolus River that flowed through the city. As the west terminus of the Royal Road that ran east to the Persian capitals of Susa and Persepolis, Sardis prospered greatly from trade, especially its textiles. Following Alexander the Great’s capture of the city from the Persians in 334 B.C., it served as the western capital of the Seleucid Empire (281–190 BC). The Attalid dynasty in Pergamum controlled Sardis from 190–133 B.C. The city then became part of the Roman province of Asia. In AD 17 Sardis was devastated by an earthquake but rebuilt with aid from the emperor Tiberius. The population during the Roman period numbered between 60,000 and 100,000 residents. 

Sardis was the fifth church addressed by John in the book of Revelation (Rev 3:1-6). Melito was a prominent bishop of Sardis in the second century A.D. Melito’s only extant work is the Homily on the Passion as well as a letter he preserved from Antoninus Pius forbidding the koinon (commoners) of Asia to continue the persecution of Christians.