Pergamum
Pergamum, today's Bergama in Turkey, was one of the great cities of ancient Asia Minor. Its first inhabitants were Greeks, and the city first appears in history around 420 BCE. After Alexander the Great died, Pergamum came under Lysimachus, but it was his officer Philetaerus who took real control. He founded the Attalid dynasty, and under these kings the city grew rich and powerful, eventually ruling most of western Asia Minor, including Ephesus. In 133 BCE, King Attalus III, on his deathbed, left his kingdom to Rome. Pergamum became the capital of the new Roman province of Asia, and even after losing that role, it remained an important administrative center.
A City Filled with Temples of Ancient Gods
Imagine living as a Christian in a city devoted to many gods. Pergamum was known for having more temples than almost any other ancient city. Walking through its ruins, we will visit the places where these temples once stood, and we will visit its theater, the steepest in the ancient world. Pergamum was once home to the second-largest library of the ancient world. We will see the site where it once stood and the Altar of Zeus, now displayed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. As we explore the city, we will talk about its atmosphere and about how its people lived, worked, worshiped, and related to one another.
"Where Satan Is Dwelling" (Rev. 2:13)
Jesus wrote to the congregation here and described the city as the place "where Satan is dwelling" (Revelation 2:13). Why would he say that? The temple shown in the picture was built to honor the deified emperor Trajan. Monuments like this show how emperor worship shaped public life in Pergamum. We will explore what daily life in this city asked of its residents, and the challenges Christians faced in trying to stay loyal. We will also learn more about the faithful witness Antipas, about the teachings of Balaam that Jesus addressed in Revelation 2:12-17. These points will help us understand the congregation's courage and faith. We will reflect on Jesus's message to the early Christians in this city, compare it with the challenges we face today, and learn from one another as we leave this city encouraged.
