PERGAMON

Pergamon or Pergamum, was an ancient Greek city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, today located 16 miles (26 km) from the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus, that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC. Pergamon was cited in the book of Revelation as one of the seven churches of Asia.

The Sanctuary of Trajan (also known as the Trajaneum) is one of the few elements of the once magnificent city that is still visible in Pergamon today.

The Attalid kingdom was the rump state left after the collapse of the Kingdom of Thrace.
The Attalids, the descendants of Attalus, father of Philetaerus who came to power in 281 BC following the collapse of the Kingdom of Thrace, were among the most loyal supporters of Rome in the Hellenistic world. Under Attalus I (241-197 BC), they allied with Rome against Philip V of Macedon, during the first and second Macedonian Wars, and again under Eumenes II (197-158 BC), against Perseus of Macedon, during the Third Macedonian War. For support against the Seleucids, the Attalids were rewarded with all the former Seleucid domains in Asia Minor.

The Attalids ruled with intelligence and generosity. Many documents survive showing how the Attalids would support the growth of towns through sending in skilled artisans and by remitting taxes. They allowed the Greek cities in their domains to maintain nominal independence. They sent gifts to Greek cultural sites like Delphi, Delos, and Athens. They defeated the invading Celts. They remodeled the Acropolis of Pergamon after the Acropolis in Athens. When Attalus III (138-133 BC) died without an heir in 133 BC, he bequeathed the whole of Pergamon to Rome, in order to prevent a civil war.

According to Christian teaching and tradition, Pergamum is where Satan dwells, where his throne is, and the first bishop of Pergamon, Antipas, was martyred there in ca. 92 AD. (Revelation 2:13)

Yours truly at work. Photo by George Sikabonyi.

This is the view from that vantage point on the previous picture.

The Hellenistic Theater with a seating capacity of 10,000. This had the steepest seating of any known theater in the ancient world.

Emergency Exit from the theatre.

And this is the empty space where the famous Pergamon Altar stood before it was taken to Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. The Pergamon Museum in Berlin houses original-sized, reconstructed monumental buildings such as the Pergamon Altar and the Market Gate of Miletus, all consisting of parts transported from Turkey. There is controversy over the legitimacy of the acquisition of the collection.

The Pergamon Museum in Berlin is the pride and joy of the museum scene in Germany, and is visited by approximately 1,135,000 people every year, making it the most visited art museum in Germany (2007). Source: Wikipedia