Ruins of the Temple of Artemis at Sardis, built in 300 BC and renovated by the Romans in 2nd century AD. Photographer: Carole Raddato. Licensed (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0)
Ruins of the Temple of Artemis at Sardis built in 300 BC and renovated by the Romans in 2nd century AD. Photo by Carole Raddato. License: CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED (image cropped).

What is…
Sardis

also known as: Sardes

Greek: Σάρδεις —transliteration: Sardeis

At one time Sardis was one of the most powerful cities in the ancient world. It was the luxurious capital metropolis of the ancient Kingdom of Lydia which covered the eastern half of modern Turkey. Flowing through the city is the river Pactolus (aka Chrysorrhoas, meaning “streaming with gold”) which empties into the Gediz River (aka Hermus or Hermos).

In ancient times, the city was blessed with lucrative deposits of electrum, a natural alloy of gold and silver, which could be separated into gold and silver of exceptionally high purity. The legendary King Midas of Phrygia is associated with this river.

This very wealthy city also had an important dyeing industry (fine wool products and carpets) and a coin mint.

Sardis was also very idolatrous, worshiping many false gods, including Artemis, Cybele, Kore, Zeus, Apollo, Bacchus (Dionysos), and Hermes.

Sardis—The Hermus River valley (modern Gediz)</em> as seen from the southern edge of the Bin Tepe Lydio-Persian tumulus burial ground, looking south towards Sardis, with the Tmolus mountains (modern Bozdağ) behind. Photographer: Peter Cobb. Licensed (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0)
The Hermus River valley (modern Gediz River, near Sart, Turkey) as seen from the southern edge of the Bin Tepe Lydio-Persian tumulus burial ground, looking south towards Sardis, with the Tmolus mountains in the background. Photo by Peter Cobb (2014). Licensed by CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

The ruins of Sardis are under and within the modern town of Sart, Turkey (once called Sert-Kalessi), near the foot of Mount Tmolus (modern name: Bozdağ).

During its Lydian period, the city covered 267 acres (108 hectares) including some parts outside the walls. Those protective walls are said to have been 20 meters thick. The acropolis was terraced with masonry made of large square-cut white stones (ashlar). href="#fn_1">1

In more ancient times, Sardis was part of the Hittite Empire. The Lydian Sardis was conquered by Cyrus the Great around 547 BC. The destruction of this battle is clearly evidenced in the ruins of Sardis uncovered by archaeologists. In 334 BC, Sardis was conquered by Alexander the Great, surrendering to him without a fight. Afterward, Alexander restored the city’s earlier Lydian customs and laws, and caused the building of a temple to Zeus. Later in 192 BC, Sardis was claimed by the Romans, who continued its prosperity and importance.

The Apostle John used the example of Sardis, a city that overlooked its weak points and thereby enabled invading armies to conquer it, to warn Christians to be alert to their own weakness so that they would not compromise their faith.

“Sardis: The Ancient Capital of Lydia”
video by Ancient Worlds
Length: 2 minutes
“Flying through Sardis”
video by Sardis Expedition
Length: 4½ minutes
The ancient ruins of Sardis are visible at Sart, Turkey—satellite view

The church in Sardis is one of the 7 Asiatic churches described in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 3:1-6). This is the only time this city is mentioned in Scripture. It became an almost completely dead church, filled with sinful unregenerate people.

“The Lord’s Word to His Church: Sardis”
Revelation 3:1–6 sermon by Dr. John F. MacArthur Jr., pastor of Grace Community Church (Sun Valley, California), chancellor and founder of The Master’s Seminary and The Master’s University
Video by Grace to You
Length: 59 minutes
  1. Crawford Greenewalt, “Sardis: A First Millenium B.C.E. Capital In Western Anatolia,” in Sharon Steadman and Gregory McMahon (editors), The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Anatolia (Oxford University Press: 2011).

More information

Article Version: December 31, 2024