Pergamum

First Settlement of Pergamum

Ionian Revolt

The Ionian Greeks rebel against Persian Rule. Athens assists and supplies the Ionians. Persian King Darius vows to punish Athens. This is the first phase of the Greco-Persian Wars.

Orontes Uses Pergamum as Headquarters for His Revolt

Orontes, a Persian satrap, uses Pergamum as his base for his unsuccessful revolt against the Persians.

Philetareus Becomes Ruler of Pergamum

Philetareus becomes an independent ruler and founds the Attalid Dynasty. Pergamum becomes the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamum.

Battle of Sardis

Eumenes I goes to war with King Antiochus I and takes control of a huge part of Asia Minor, stretching to Eastern Türkiye and the Mediterranean Coast, including today’s Antalya Province.

Attalus I Defeats the Galatians

Attalus I defeats the Galatians, to whom Pergamum had been paying tribute under Eumenes I.

Second Macedonian War

Rome again allies with Pergamum against King Philip V of Macedon. Philip is defeated and abandons all territories in southern Greece, Thrace, and Asia Minor. This increases Roman intervention in the eastern Mediterranean which will eventually lead to Rome’s conquest of the entire region.

Attalus I dies and his son, Eumenes II, becomes the ruler of Pergamum.

Monumental Rebuilding of Pergamum

The brothers Eumenes II and Attalus II, both sons of Attalus I, enlarge Pergamum and create a massive new city wall, in an effort to make Pergamum “the second Athens.” They begin rebuilding the acropolis to model the acropolis of Athens.

Attalus III Dies and Bequeaths His Kingdom to Rome

Because he had no heir, Attalus avoids war between those who want to take the throne by leaving his kingdom to Rome, who probably would have eventually taken it anyway. But there is an uprising, and the kingdom is divided, with Rome getting most of it. The Roman territory includes most of western Asia Minor. The Romans call it the Province of Asia. Pergamum, made a free city by the Romans, briefly serves as its capital before the capital is transferred to Ephesus.

The Apostle John Writes the Book of Revelation

During the reign of Roman Emperor Domitian (81—96 AD), the Apostle John, while in exile on the island of Patmos, writes the Book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament. He has a series of visions which he narrates to his assistant. One of these visions is about seven churches in Asia Minor, one of them being the church at Pergamum, in which the glorified Christ Jesus praises them for holding fast and not denying their faith. He also admonishes them for following false doctrines, committing sexual immorality, and eating things sacrificed to idols.

Pergamum Becomes a Metropolis

Trajan raises the city’s rank to Metropolis, elevating it above its local rivals, Ephesus and Smyrna. A massive building program ensues which includes temples, a stadium, a theater, a huge agora (forum). The nearby Temple of Asclepius is expanded into a lavish spa and Asclepieion, which becomes one of the most famous health and healing centers in the world.

Crisis of the Third Century

The Crisis of the Third Century was a period in Roman history than nearly caused the Roman Empire to collapse. Repeated foreign invasions, civil wars, and an economic crisis combined to cause the Roman Empire to spit into three parts. Contenders to become emperor competed for power. Roman commanders became increasingly independent of Roman central power. Emperor Aurelian (reigned 270—275) defeated the two breakaway factions and carried reforms to restore economic stability. Later, Emperor Diocletian restructured the Roman government and ended the crisis.

The Goths Sack Pergamum

Pergamum Attacked by Arabs Again

Pergamum is again rebuilt and refortified.

Seljuk Turks attack and destroy most of Pergamum

Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos Rebuilds Pergamum