Sardis Attractions
Western Anatolia (Interior)
Place: Sartmustafa
The site of the ancient Lydian capital Sardis, once celebrated for its proverbial wealth and for its Sanctuary of Artemis, lies some 100km/60mi east of Izmir near the little village of Sartmustafa on the edge of the Gediz (Hermos) valley, a tributary of the Sart Çayi (ancient Paktolos). The Lydian and Greek city lay on the west side of a steeply scarped acropolis some 200m/650ft high, while the later Roman town laid out in the form of a semi-circle occupied a lower terrace below the north side of the hill. The oldest part of the town can be found on the acropolis. Excavations and restoration work have been carried out by a team of American archeologists.
History
The development of Sardis (Sardeis) was closely dependent on the emergence and growth of the Lydian Empire. It is not yet established, however, whether the Lydians, a Semitic people whose rulers claimed descent from the Assyrian sun god, founded the town themselves or whether they conquered and incorporated an already existing Maeonian settlement. The town enjoyed great prosperity from the reign of King Gyges (ca. 685 B.C.) to that of Kroisos (Croesus; 560-546 B.C.) thanks to its location at the end of an ancient trade route, exploitation of gold deposits from the River Paktolos and busy trade with the Orient. In 546 B.C. Sardis was conquered by the Persians under Cyrus and until 499 B.C. was the seat of a Persian satrap. From here the great Royal Road of the Persian kings ran from Ankyra (Ankara) to Susa with posting stations at four-hourly intervals.
The city enjoyed a further period of prosperity under Roman rule. It was ravaged by an earthquake in A.D. 17 but was rebuilt by Tiberius. Christianity came to Sardis at an early stage, no doubt through the missionary activity of Paul. It is mentioned in Revelations (1:11 and 3:4) as one of the Seven Churches of Asia.
Place: Sartmustafa
The site of the ancient Lydian capital Sardis, once celebrated for its proverbial wealth and for its Sanctuary of Artemis, lies some 100km/60mi east of Izmir near the little village of Sartmustafa on the edge of the Gediz (Hermos) valley, a tributary of the Sart Çayi (ancient Paktolos). The Lydian and Greek city lay on the west side of a steeply scarped acropolis some 200m/650ft high, while the later Roman town laid out in the form of a semi-circle occupied a lower terrace below the north side of the hill. The oldest part of the town can be found on the acropolis. Excavations and restoration work have been carried out by a team of American archeologists.
History
The development of Sardis (Sardeis) was closely dependent on the emergence and growth of the Lydian Empire. It is not yet established, however, whether the Lydians, a Semitic people whose rulers claimed descent from the Assyrian sun god, founded the town themselves or whether they conquered and incorporated an already existing Maeonian settlement. The town enjoyed great prosperity from the reign of King Gyges (ca. 685 B.C.) to that of Kroisos (Croesus; 560-546 B.C.) thanks to its location at the end of an ancient trade route, exploitation of gold deposits from the River Paktolos and busy trade with the Orient. In 546 B.C. Sardis was conquered by the Persians under Cyrus and until 499 B.C. was the seat of a Persian satrap. From here the great Royal Road of the Persian kings ran from Ankyra (Ankara) to Susa with posting stations at four-hourly intervals.
The city enjoyed a further period of prosperity under Roman rule. It was ravaged by an earthquake in A.D. 17 but was rebuilt by Tiberius. Christianity came to Sardis at an early stage, no doubt through the missionary activity of Paul. It is mentioned in Revelations (1:11 and 3:4) as one of the Seven Churches of Asia.
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Birgi, Turkey
(Near Sardis)
Founded in the 14th C, some of the main attractions in Birgi are the lovely 18th and 19th C homes, and the 14th C Ulu Cami in the town center.
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Bozdag, Turkey
(Near Sardis)
Bozdag began as a summer resort where locals would come to escape the heat, but eventual grew into a year round town.
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Golcuk, Turkey
(Near Sardis)
Gölcük is a popular summer resort area with villas. It is also a good base for walks in the surrounding mountains.
Necropolis
Some 10km/6mi north west of Sartmustafa stands another large necropolis. Here scattered over an undulating plateau ("bin tepe", thousand hills) lie more than 60 conical burial mounds of varying size. Among them is an unusually large mound 69m/225ft high, traditionally believed to be the tomb of Kroisos' father, Alyattes, which is described by Herodotus (Bk 1, ch. 93).
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Roman city (Gymnasium)
(The Site)
The remains of Sarids include a theater, stadium, and several houses. They were all built following an earthquake in the year A.D. 17.
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Temple of Artemis
(The Site)
The 6th C B.C. Temple of Artemis was built by King Kroisos of Lydia, and rebuilt later by Alexander the Great.
Odemis, Turkey
(Near Sardis)
The town of Ödemis was founded in late Ottoman times and developed from the splendid Kabazakalogullari property, constructed at the end of the 13th century, which is situated nearby to the south beneath the ruins of Roman Hypaepa. The lively market town contains many fine 19th century town houses. Much of its wealth derives from mining deposits of antimony, mercury and copper.
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