philadelphia background

7/28/2019 Philadelphia Background

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Philadelphia (Greek Philadelphos, "one who loves his

brother") stood on a low, broad, easily defended hill at thefoot of Mount Tmolus (Bozdag today), commanding the

extensive and fertile plain of the Hermus River (modern

Gediz). About 73 miles east of Smyrna, 28 miles southwest

of Sardis and 47 miles northwest of Laodicea, it wasestablished by King Attalus II Philadelphus ("brotherly

love") of Pergamum in 189 BC who was known for his

devotion to his brother and successor, Attalus II (159-138

BC). Thus his name was perpetuated by the city.



Philadelphia was Located at an important road junction.

Both the Royal Road between Smyrna and the East and theroad southeast from Pergamum to Attalia on the

Mediterranean coast passed through it. All east-west and

north-south trade in the province of Asia passed through

Philadelphia. Its position made it an outpost of Hellenism,founded to spread Greek language and culture in Lydia and

Phrygia. Lacking an heir, Attalus III Philometer, the last of

the Attalid kings, willed his kingdom, including Philadelphia,

to his Roman allies upon his death in 133 BC. In 129 BCRome established the province of Asia by combining Ionia

and the former Kingdom of Pergamum.



Like other towns in the region, Philadelphia prospered

through agriculture. The soil was suited to growing grapes.

Wine was an important product, thus the city was a center

of worship of Dionysus, god of wine and fertility. The flocks

that grazed in the area supplied wool and hides for textiles

and leather production. Philadelphia was easily defendedbut the surrounding district was disastrously earthquake

prone. A massive earthquake in 17 AD completely ruined

the city; the citizens lived in fear of aftershocks for years

afterward.



There is not much to see from the early city. The site is now

covered by modern Alasehir ("city of Allah" or God). The

only extant remains are the old acropolis, ruins of a 7th

century AD church, an unexcavated theater, and a length of

the city walls and gate from the Byzantine era. Below,

Google Earth view of modern Alasehir.



Google Earth view of modern Alasehir.



Overall view of modern Alasehir, successor to ancient

Philadelphia.



Low dark hill in the center is the area of the ancient city, at

the foot of Bozdag (Mount Tmolus in antiquity).



Unexcavated theater on the northern foot of the acropolis of

the ancient city.


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/philadelphia-background 10/14View of modern Alasehir, successor to ancient Philadelphia.



Sign identifying the remains of "St. Jean Kilisesi" (Turkish, "St.

John Church").



Tucked into a quaint neighborhood in the modern Alasehir is a city block, enclosed by

a wall, containing the large piers of a Byzantine basilica, the church of St. John (c. 600

AD).



Typical multi-story buildings of modern Alasehir; population

about 40,000.



Broken section of the Byzantine-era city walls, composed of rough

stone blocks of coarse workmanship, recalling Strabo's reference to the

ancient city's untrustworthy walls.

philadelphia background

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