Atlas from Space: Plan of Pergamum acropolis

The Pergamum acropolis is a masterpiece of city planning, built over a period of more than 150 years (283-133 BCE, with a few later additions). The buildings were arranged in a series of concentric ovals around the theater, apparently with the purpose of securing the best view of the surrounding lands as well as presenting each building in the most impressive way possible from the lower city. The relative spaces devoted to cult purposes vs. public gatherings indicates that the builders considered social functions to be of higher priority than religious ones. Pergamum's acropolis resembles that of Athens in several particulars, though Athens makes the Parthenon, a temple of Athena, its central focus.

The world-famous Altar to Zeus was prominent on the Pergamene acropolis. Its resemblance in shape to a gigantic armchair has led some scholars to speculate that it is what Revelation 3:13 calls "the throne of Satan." Another possibility for Satan's throne is that Pergamum was the capital of the Roman province of Asia, and all official persecution of Christians would emanate from there. A third possibility is the Aesklepion whose god Asklepios's association with serpents would provide a ready correspondence with "that ancient serpent, the Devil, or Satan" (Rev. 12:9; 20:2).

Want to go deeper?

The following are recommended to help you look deeper into the history and archaeology of Pergamum.

Recommended for purchase:

Steve Singleton – Overcoming: A Study Guide for the Book of Revelation (DeeperStudy.com, 2004) – Provides a brief historical background of Pergamum and the other six cities of the Apocalypse, as well as a thorough introduction and brief commentary on the Apocalypse. Get digital edition and save almost 50%!

Steve Singleton – Seven Letters to the Church (2006) – E-book drawn from Overcoming (see above), with additional material. Illustrated commentary on the Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia, as found in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Includes history, culture, and archaeology of the churches, plus a summary of relevance for today as well as verse by verse comments. Illustrated with drawings & color photos, including satellite images of Ephesus, Pergamum, and Laodicea.

Claude E. Fant & Mitchell G. Reddish – A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey (Oxford, 2003). – Nearly two-thirds of the New Testament, including all the letters of Paul, most of Acts, and the Book of Revelation, are set in either Turkey or Greece. This book serves as a historical, biblical, and archaeological guide to most of these biblical sites. View excerpt

CD-ROM: Turkey: Pictorial Library of Bible Lands (2004) – Series is most complete collection of high resolution Bible Land images available... perfect for worship, class study, or personal Bible study! Highest quality available. This CD features more than 700 high-resolution digitized images, including: Cities of Paul's Journeys (Antioch on the Orontes, Seleucia, Tarsus, Pisidian Antioch, Lystra and Derbe, Colossae, Hierapolis, Assos, Alexandria Troas, and Miletus); seven churches of Revelation: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea; plus Istanbul, Cappadocia, Priene, and Troy.

Helmut Koester – Pergamon: Citadel of the Gods: Archaeological Record, Literary Description, & Religious Development – Harvard Theological Studies (Trinity Press International, 1998). – Includes comprehensive descriptions of the ancient city's famous temples and sanctuaries by German archaeologists who excavated them. In addition, leading European and American scholars in the fields of classics and New Testament studies provide interpretive essays. Richly illustrated with photographs, drawings, maps, and plans. The definitive study in English on this important Hellenistic and Roman city.

Frank Sear – Roman Theatres: An Architectural Study. (Oxford, 2006). – Sear discusses Pergamum's Hellenistic theater on pp. 346-347.

Ekrem Akurgal – Ancient Civilizations and Ruins of Turkey: From Prehistoric Times Until the End of the Roman Empire (Haset Kirabevi, 1985). | cheaper, earlier edition – Akurgal was the archaeologist in charge of the excavation of the original Smyrna at Bayrakli.

Online resources:

Christine Eslik, PhD – Recent and current excavations

Roy George – Temple and Sanctuary of Athena (from "The Museum of the Goddess Athena")

Mary M. Honan – Guide to the Pergamon Museum (Berlin: George Reimer, 1904).

Lucy M. Mitchell – The sculptures of Pergamon from A History of Ancient Sculpture (NY: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1905), 561-594. Especially describes the sculptures surrounding the Altar of Zeus.

Lynn A. Levine – Tour of Pergamum from Frommer's Turkey, 4th ed. (2006):177-181.

Lionel Casson – The Library of Ancient Pergamum from Libraries in the Ancient World (Yale, 2001):50-54.

Amanda Haefferman – Pergamum's Hellenistic theater (Ancient Theater Archive) – Provides detailed information about the theaters of ancient Pergamum, including the famous Hellenistic theater of the acropolis.

Dick Osseman's photo gallery of Pergamum – Archaeological Museum | Site of Altar of Zeus | Hellenistic Theater

Andys Basten's photo gallery of Pergamum – Acropolis

William M. Ramsay – "Pergamum: The Royal City, City of Authority" | "The Letter to the Church in Pergamum" 281-290 and 291-315, respectively, from Letters to the Seven Churches & Their Place in the Plan of the Apocalypse, 2nd ed. (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1906).

Burak Sansal. [History of] Pergamum – Sansal is a Turkish professional tour guide.