About Philadelphia
Beneath modern Alaşehir, Philadelphia was founded under Pergamon and became one of the Seven Churches of early Christianity. Its clearest surviving remains are the huge piers of a Byzantine basilica popularly called Saint John's Church and traces of city walls.
History
Attalus II Philadelphus founded Philadelphia in the second century BCE. Proximity to fertile Katakekaumene and eastern routes encouraged growth. Though vulnerable to earthquakes, it was rebuilt under Rome and known for grapes and wine. Named among the Seven Churches in Revelation, it remained an important Byzantine bishopric. It served as a regional stronghold during the Turkish conquests, and modern Alaşehir developed above the ancient settlement.
Highlights and principal structures
- Piers of Saint John's Church
- Byzantine walls
- Theatre area
- Roman and Byzantine remains
- Inscriptions and architectural fragments
Historical period
Hellenistic–Roman–Byzantine