Akhisar History - Ancient Ages
 LYDIAN,
PERSIAN AND HELLENISTIC ERAS
Akhisar (Thyateira) was the most important center in the
North ancient Lydia. Considering the invention of money by Lydians, Thyateira was one of
the first towns on earth where money was actually used. Thyateira coin findings show the
double-sided battle axe along with an illustration of mother goddes Kybebe (Kybele)
possibly expressing the matriarchal nature of the Lydian society.
Some Hittite findings in the area suggest a period with
possible Hittite preeminence. Persian occupation took place around 500 BC and later on,
Thyateira was conquered by Alexander the Great and went under Macedonian rule at around
300 BC which was the start of Hellenistic Era in Western Anatolia (Asia Minor). In later
years, Thyateira captured by Seleucids, Kingdom of Pergamum and Pontos, until the Roman
Era, which started at around 80 BC.
ROMAN ERA
Thyateira was conquered by the Roman Empire at about 80
BC. It is known that the great Roman emperor Caesar had been to Thyateira in 48 BC. In
Roman era, Thyateira had lost nothing about its importance. There is evidence that,
following a major earthquake in 20 BC, a delegation from Thyateira travelled to Roman
Senate in search of aid to towns in ruins. This is useful in showing the importance of the
town among others.
 Roman emperor Caracalla had been to Thyateira in 214 AD, and announced the town
as a regional and administrative center with the power of adjudication (=A Conventus).
Caracalla stayed at town for several months, and became a beloved personality. Thyateira
people returned the emperor's favor with dedicated coins printed in his memory. Thyateira
flourished in Roman Era and became a large metropol with 3 gymnasions, though none of
these gymnasions have been unearthed yet.
BYZANTINE ERA
Right after the partition of Roman Empire in 395 AD, the
Eastern part was renamed as Byzantine Empire. Thus, the Byzantine era had started. In the
Byzantine era, Thyateira was a town center in Thracesia province of the empire. Emerging
Islam religion at 600s AD was a major threat for Byzantine Empire. Arabic raids to
Anatolia in the purpose of spreading Islam resulted in great land loss for Byzantium.
Arabs were at the doors of Constantinopolis (Istanbul) and Thyateira went under Arabic
rule for some period in 8th century AD. Akhisar plain witnessed many battles
between Byzantine and Arabs and during the Crusades.
THYATEIRA AS THE CRADLE OF CHRISTIANITY
Seven Churches
In 1st and 2nd centuries AD, when Christianity started
gaining popularity, Roman Emperors were ruthless against the first Christians. The
churches were ruined and Christianity was prohibited. Despite all these counteractions,
Christianity was spreading in Western Anatolia by the help and leadership of apostles like
St. Jean and St. Paul. [see Ancient
Map of Asia Minor]
As stated in the Apocalypse, one of the first 7 churches
of Christianity built in Asia Minor was in Thyateira, (Revelation to John 2:18-29, Acts
16:14). Other six churches were in Ephesos (Efes), Pergamon (Bergama), Sardeis (Sart),
Smyrna (Izmir), Laodicea (Denizli) and Philadelphia (Alasehir). The name
"Thyateira" appears several times in the Holy Bible. First, in a letter to seven
churches in Asia Minor, St. Jean mentions a Thyateiran woman named "Jezebel" who
fought against Christians. Second, another Thyateiran woman named "Lydia" who
helped St. Paul in Macedonia is mentioned. This woman had been to Macedonia on the purpose
of selling Thyateiran clothes. This is a helpful evidence for the importance of cloth
manufacturing and trade in ancient Akhisar. There was a rather big Christian community in
Thyateira around 100 AD. The town is in a region where Christianity was born and emerged
and is very important in the History of Christianity.
Revelation (2:18-2:29) to
the Angel of the Church in Thyateira (Thyatira):
"(2:18) This is the message from the Son of God,
whose eyes blaze like fire, whose feet shine like polished brass. (2:19) I know what you
do. I know your love, your faithfulness, your service, and your patience. I know that you
are doing more now than you did at first. (2:20) But this is what I have against you : you
tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a messenger of God. By her teaching she
misleads my servants into practicing sexual immortality and eating food that has been
offered to idols. (2:21) I have her time to repent of her sins, but she does not want to
turn from her immortality. (2:22) And so I will throw her on a bed where she and those who
committed adultery with her will suffer terribly. I will do this now unless they repent of
the wicked things they did with her. (2:23) I will also kill her followers, and then all
the churches will know that I am the one who knows everyone's thoughts and wishes. I will
repay each one of you according to what he has done. (2:24) But the rest of you in
Thyatira have not followed this evil teaching; you have not learned what the others call
'the deep secrets of Satan.' I say to you that I will not put any other burden on you.
(2:25) But until I come, you must hold firmly to what you have. (2:26-28) To those who win
the victory, who continue to the end to do what I want, I will give the same authority
that I received from my Father : I will give them authority over the nations, to rule them
with and iron rod and to break thm to pieces like clay pots. I will also give them the
morning star. (2:29) If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the
churches!"
ANCIENT THYATEIRA ECONOMY
In ancient times, Thyateira was an important center of
activity. It was on the ancient road from Bosphorus (Istanbul) to Pergamum (Bergama) via
Prousa (Bursa) and then to Sardeis (Sart) and Laodicea (Denizli). This route was extending
to Persia. There was an alternative route to Sardeis via Gordos which implied the
importance of the transportation between Lydia capital Sardeis and Thyateira. Roads coming
from Ephesos (Efes), Smyrna (Izmir) and Magnesia ad Spilum (Manisa) were all making a busy
intersection at Thyateira. Click here
for an ancient map of the region.
As an important Lydian city, Thyateira was at the center
of many small towns and villages administratively and politically bound to itself. The
most notable towns of Thyateira were Attaleia (Selcikli), Hadrianapolis (Siledik), Yortan
(Bostanci), Kalanda (Gelenbe), Nakrasa (Ilyaslar), Hermokapeleia (Zeytinliova), Meteorion
(Medar), Apollonis (Mecidiye), Hierakome (Beyoba), Gordos (Gordes), Plateia Petra (Sahan
Kaya), Kharakipolis (Karayakup).
The Thyateira's cloth was widely known and used by kings
and queens in making their royal dresses. Being an important and strategical trade route
junction, cloth and pottery trade was the main activity in town. In addition to these, the
production of wool, linen, brass goods and tanning were other commercial activities. |
