PERGAMUM

 

Pergamum was a major city in western Asia Minor in New Testament times. It lies in a spacious valley, sixteen miles from the Aegean Sea. In the centuries before Christ, it was the capital of an independent kingdom. Its impressive temples, library, and medical facilities made Pergamum a renowned cultural and political center. By the time Revelation was written, Pergamum had become part of the Roman Empire, but because of its location and importance, the Romans used it as an administrative center for the province of Asia.

The ancient city is composed of three main parts: the Acropolis, whose main function was social and cultural as much as it was religious; the Red Basilica which was built as a Serapis Temple converted into a Byzantine church; and the Asklepion, one of the earliest medical centers in antiquity.

 Acropolis 

The acropolis rises 1300 feet above the lower city located on the plain of the Caicus River.The kings of Pergamum built palaces and temples on top of the acropolis.

 Altar to Zeus

An altar to the god Zeus was one of the most impressive structures on Pergamum’s acropolis. The altar’s stairs, columns, and sculptured sides once stood forty feet high. Today only the steps around the altar’s base can be seen. The sides of the altar were ornamented with marble panels that depicted a mythical battle between the Greek gods and the rebellious giants, who were the sons of mother earth. The altar was built several centuries before Christ to commemorate the victories of the armies of Pergamum.

 Temple of Trajan

Some impressive remains of this 2nd c. A.D. marble temple dedicated to the emperor have been restored.  It sits next to the library which housed 200,000 volumes and was the second largest in the ancient world after Alexandria.  Parchment was invented in Pergamum after relations with Egypt soured and papyrus became difficult to obtain. 

The Gymnasium

A paved street wound down the side of the acropolis, passing through an upper agora or market place. Along this street was a gymnasium complex that had a large courtyard that could be used for exercises such included jumping, wrestling, and weight lifting. The gymnasium was surrounded by colonnaded walkways and had bath buildings nearby.

The Asklepion

Asklepion is a famed ancient medical center built in honor of Asklepios, the god of healing. Asklepions were the only hospitals of the ancient times.There were many different kinds of treatments. The treatments included psychotherapy, massage, herbal remedies, mud and bathing treatments, the interpretation of dreams, and the drinking of water.The famous physician Galen was born in Pergamum.Emperors Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, and Caracalla were patients of this hospital.