Philadelphia
Seven Church Ages: Introduction • Ephesus • Smyrna • Pergamos • Thyatira • Sardis • Philadelphia • Laodicea • CAB • Last Messenger?
Philadelphia (Greek: Φιλαδέλφεια, meaning: "brotherly love") (the modern “Alasehir” or "Ala-Shehr" in Turkey) is the sixth city mentioned in the Book of Revelation to receive a message from Jesus Christ. Philadelphia was established in 189 BC by King Eumenes II of Pergamon. Eumenes II named the city for the love he had for his brother, Attalus II, who was loyal to Eumenes II and would follow as his successor.
Lacking an heir, Attalus III Philometer, the last of the Attalid kings of Pergamum, bequeathed his kingdom, including Philadelphia, to his Roman allies when he died in 133 BC. Rome set up the province of Asia in 129 BC by combining Ionia and the former Kingdom of Pergamum. Under Vespasian’s rule (69-79 AD), Philadelphia's name was changed to “Flavia”. By the third century, paganism had held on in the face of a Christianizing Empire, and the city became known as “little Athens” on account of its festivals and variety of temples.
Philadelphia became a powerful Byzantine province between the 10th to 14th centuries, in contrast to Sardis' decline during this time. Philadelphia was an independent neutral city under the influence of the Latin Knights of Rhodes when it was taken in 1390 by Sultan Bayezid I and an auxiliary Christian force under the Byzantine emperor Manuel II after a prolonged resistance, when all the other cities of Asia Minor had surrendered. Twelve years later it was captured by the Mongol Timur, who built a wall with the corpses of his prisoners. A fragment of the ghastly structure is in the library of Lincoln Cathedral.
Ancient Philadelphia was east of Smyrna and southwest of Sardis on the Cogamus River, a tributary of the Hermus river. It was also subject to frequent earthquakes.
Today, Alasehir is known for its fresh fruit, especially dried Sultana raisins. Alesehir also has a mineral spring.
Religion in Philadelphia
The coins from Philadelphia bear the images of Bacchus (Dionysus or Eleutherios) and Baccante. Dionysus is the god of wine, civilizatin, peace, agriculture, law, and theatre. He as known as the "liberator" as a result of the intoxication of wine. Bacchus is another form of Nimrod. Bacchus is the twice-born son of Zeus.
References
- http://www.luthersem.edu/ckoester/Revelation/Philadelphia/main.htm
- This information is based on material from Wikipedia. As a result, this article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License which governs this website as well.
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Footnotes