Map of the Roman Empire - Philadelphia
Philadelphia
N-6 on the Map
Ancient Philadelphia. Greek: Φιλαδέλφεια. Philadelphia means the city of brotherly love. Philadelphia was a city of Lydia in the Aegean region of Turkey situated at the foot of Mount Tmolus, founded by Attalus Philadelphus. The Bible reveals the church of Philadelphia as one of the 'seven churches' of Asia in the Book of Revelation, Rev. 1:11; 3:7ff. Modern Alasehir.
Revelation 1:9-11 - I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 3:7-11 - And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Philadelphia (Φιλαδέλφεια). A city of Lydia, at the foot of Mount Tmolus, built by Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamum. It was an early seat of Christianity, and its Church is one of the seven to which the Apocalypse of St. John is addressed. - Harry Thurston Peck. Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. New York. Harper and Brothers. 1898.
Alasehir, in Antiquity and the Middle Ages known as Philadelphia
(Greek: Φιλαδέλφεια, "city of brotherly love") is a town and district of Manisa
Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is situated in the valley of the
Kuzuçay (Cogamus in antiquity), at the foot of the Bozdağ (Mount Tmolus in
antiquity). The city is connected to İzmir by a 105 km (65 mi) railway.
It stands on elevated ground commanding the extensive and fertile plain of the
Gediz River, (Hermus in antiquity) presents at a distance an imposing
appearance.
Ancient Philadelphia. Alasehir began as perhaps one of the first ancient cities
with the name Philadelphia. It was established in 189 BC by King Eumenes II of
Pergamon (197-160 BC). Eumenes II named the city for the love of his brother,
who would be his successor, Attalus II (159-138 BC), whose loyalty earned him
the nickname, "Philadelphos", literally meaning "one who loves his brother". The
city is perhaps best-known as the site of one of the seven churches of Asia in
the Book of Revelation.
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 established the province of Asia in 129 BC by
combining Ionia and the former Kingdom of Pergamum.
Roman Philadelphia. Philadelphia was in the administrative district of Sardis
(Pliny NH 5.111). In AD 17, the city suffered badly in an earthquake, and the
emperor Tiberius relieved it of having to pay taxes (Tacitus Annales 2.47, cf.
Strabo 12.8.18, 13.4.10, John Lydus de mensibus 4.115). in response, the city
granted honors to Tiberius. Evidence from coinage reveals that Caligula helped
the city; under Vespasian, Philadelphia received his cognomen, Flavia. Under
Caracalla, Philadelphia housed an imperial cult; its coins bore the word
Neokoron (literally, "temple-sweeper"--caretaker of the temple). A small theater
located at the northern edge of Toptepe Hill is all that remains of Roman
Philadelphia.
Philadelphia in the Book of Revelation. Although several ancient cities bore the
name of Philadelphia, this is definitely the one listed among the seven churches
by John in the Book of Revelation.[2] Philadelphia is the sixth church of the seven.(Revelation 1:11). A letter specifically addressed to the Philadelphian
church is recorded in (Revelation 3:7-13). According to this letter, the
Philadelphian Christians were suffering persecution at the hands of the local
Jews, whom Revelation calls "the synagogue of Satan" (Revelation 3:9). The
city's history of earthquakes may lie behind the reference to making her church
a temple pillar (Revelation 3:12). Permanency would have been important to the
city's residents. -Wikipedia
Philadelphia
PHILADELPHEIA (Φιλαδέλφεια: Eth. F??ade?fe??). An important city in the east of
Lydia, on the north-western side of Mount Tmolus, and not far from the southern
bank of the river Cogamus, at a distance of 28 miles from Sardes. (Plin. Nat.
5.30; It. Ant. p. 336.) The town was founded by Attalus Philadelphus of
Pergamum. (Steph. B. sub voce Strabo (xiii. p.628, comp. xii. p. 579), who
places it on the borders of Catacecaumene, remarks that it frequently suffered
from violent shocks of earthquakes; the walls and houses were constantly liable
to be demolished, and in his time the place had become nearly deserted. During
the great earthquake in the reign of Tiberius it was again destroyed. (Tac. Ann.
2.47.) But in the midst of these calamities Christianity flourished at
Philadelpheia at an early period, as is attested by the book of Revelations
(3.7). The town, which is mentioned also by Ptolemy (5.2.17) and Hierocles (p.
669), gallantly defended itself against the Turks on more than one occasion,
until at length it was conquered by Bajazid in A.D. 1390. (G. Pachym. p. 290;
Mich. Duc. p. 70; Chalcond. p. 33.) It now bears the name Allahsher, but is a
mean though considerable town. Many parts of its ancient walls are still
standing, and its ruined churches amount to about twenty-four. (Chandler,
Traveas, p. 310, foil.; Richter, Wallfahrten, p. 513, foll.)
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman
Geography (1854) William Smith, LLD, Ed.