Θυάτειρα | |
 Remains of the colonnaded street in Thyatira | |
  Shown within Turkey | |
| Location | Akhisar, Manisa Province, Turkey |
|---|---|
| Region | Lydia |
| Coordinates | 38°55′12″N27°50′11″E / 38.920090°N 27.836253°E /38.920090; 27.836253 |
| Altitude | 103 m (338 ft) |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Builder | Lydians; Macedonian colonists (3rd century BC) |
| Material | Stone, brick |
| Founded | Early Bronze Age; re-colonized 3rd century BC |
| Periods | Bronze Age,Hellenistic period,Roman Empire,Byzantine Empire |
| Cultures | Seha River Land,Lydian,Greek,Persian,Roman,Byzantine |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Ownership | Public |
| Public access | Yes |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | Hellenistic, Roman |
| One of theseven churches mentioned in theBook of Revelation | |
Thyateira (alsoThyatira;Ancient Greek:Θυάτειρα) was the name of an ancient Greek city inAsia Minor, now the modernTurkish city ofAkhisar ("white castle"),Manisa Province. The name is probablyLydian. It lies in the far west of Turkey, southwest of Istanbul and east-northeast ofAthens. It is about 50 miles (80 km) from theAegean Sea.
It was an ancient Greek city calledPelopia (Ancient Greek:Πελόπεια) andSemiramis (Ancient Greek:Σεμίραμις),[1] before it was renamed to Thyateira (Θυάτειρα), during the Hellenistic era in 290 BC, by the KingSeleucus I Nicator. He was at war withLysimachus when he learned that his wife had given birth to a daughter. According toStephanus of Byzantium, he called this city "Thuateira" from Greek θυγάτηρ, θυγατέρα (thugatēr,thugatera), meaning "daughter", although it is likely that it is an older, Lydian name.[2][3] In classical times, Thyatira stood on the border betweenLydia andMysia. During the Roman era, (1st century AD), it was famous for its dyeing facilities and was a center of the purple cloth trade.[citation needed] Among the ancient ruins of the city,inscriptions have been found relating to the guild of dyers in the city. Indeed, more guilds συντεχνία suntechuia (syndicate) are known in Thyatira than any other contemporary city in the Roman province of Asia (inscriptions mention the following: wool-workers, linen-workers, makers of outer garments, dyers, leather-workers, tanners, potters, bakers, slave-dealers, and bronze-smiths).[4]
In early Christian times, Thyateira was home to a significant Christian church, mentioned as one of theseven Churches of the Book of Revelation in theBook of Revelation.[5] According to Revelation, a woman namedJezebel (who called herself a prophetess) taught and seduced the Christians of Thyateira to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed toidols.[6] However, some commentators such as Benson and Doddridge have concluded that what is being here practised in Thyatira is the sameapostasy promoted inIsrael byJezebel as mentioned in theBooks of Kings and that use of her name here is a direct reference to such. Indeed, as Doddridge notes, "the resemblance appears so great" that, in his view, it is the "same heresy which is represented".[7]
TheApostle Paul andSilas might have visited Thyateira during Paul's second or third journey, Acts 16:13–16. They visited several small unnamed towns in the general vicinity during the second journey. While inPhilippi, Paul and Silas stayed with a woman namedLydia from Thyateira, who continued to help them even after they were jailed and released.
In 366, abattle fought near Thyateira saw the army ofRoman emperorValens defeatRoman usurperProcopius.
Artemidorus (Ancient Greek:Ἀρτεμίδωρος) of Thyateira was an athlete whowon the Stadion race in the 193rd Olympiad (8 BC).[8]
Nicander (Ancient Greek:Νίκανδρος), also known as Nicander of Thyateira (Ancient Greek:Νίκανδρος ὁ Θυατειρηνός) was an ancient Greek grammarian.[9][10]
Lydia of Thyatira, businesswoman in theActs of the Apostles chapter 16 verse 11–40.[11]
The city was home to a Christian community from theapostolic period. The community continued until 1922, when theOrthodox Christian population was deported.
In 1922, theEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople appointed anexarch for Western and Central Europe with the title Archbishop of Thyateira. The current archbishop of Thyateira (since 2019) isNikitas Lulias.[12] The Archbishop of Thyateira resides in London and has pastoral responsibility for theGreek Orthodox Church in Great Britain.
The see of Thyatira is also included, withoutarchiepiscopal rank, in theRoman Catholic Church's list oftitular sees.[13]
![19th-century Thyatira[14]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aA_dictionary_of_the_Bible.._(1887)_(14595164770).jpg)
