Bible Gem 2215 – Why was Thyatira Chosen Among the Seven?

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze:

I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things. But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality. Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve.

But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them—depths of Satan, actually). I will ask nothing more of you except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come. To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!

Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”

Revelation 2:18-29

In Gem 2213 I gave you a list of other churches prominent at the end of the First Century AD.

“These seven were chosen; while Tralles, Magnesia, Hierapolis, Colossae, Alexandria Troas, Adramyttium, Miletus, Halicarnassus, Dorylaeum and Synnada were omitted.” Gem 2213

What I wrote in that sentence prompted me to find out more about the other early cities and churches. In doing so I found some more prominent cities that Pliny had claimed to be Conventus Cities: Adramyttium, Alabanda, Apamea, Ephesus, Laodicea, Pergamum, Sardis, Smyrna and Synnada. Henry Swete adds Cyzicus, Philomelium, and Tralles to the list of Conventus Cities.

Swete also classified the following cities as being of lesser importance: Colossae, Dorylaeum, Eumania, Hierapolis, Magnesia, Miletus, Philadelphia, Priene and Thyatira.

I found this curious to say the least. There is Thyatira, one of the least important cities of the Roman Province of Asia at the end of the list. I know Swete’s list is in alphabetical order but it struck me as interesting.

No province has so many cities nor are even the greatest cities of other provinces comparable to the cities of Asia.

Aristides of Smyrna

Asia is remarkable for the number and the wealth of the cities.

Pliny

In researching these cites I found an incomplete List of Ancient Greek Cities which lists cities called poleis (population centres) as opposed to megopolis (great cities). The list I found listed 457 cities of which 109 were in the Roman Province of Asia. As I have looked over the maps available to me for the locations of the specific cities listed above [not the 457] I was staggered by the density of poleis across this land bridge of Eurasia – Europe and Asia. Contemporaries of Aristides, mentioned above, claim there were between 500 and 1,000 cities to be found in the Roman Province of Asia at this time in history. That seems to be a grand claim but I can substantiate the point; this region has innumerable poleis. It is remarkable to say the least.

This fact in turn piqued my curiosity and sent me on a quest to find out more about the above-mentioned cities, large and small classified in the lists above. My underlying, guiding question all the while being: ‘Why was Thyatira mentioned when there were so many other cities with churches worthy of selection?’ I added the above mentioned cities to the map I gave you of the Seven Cities of Revelation (see below). The reason cities and towns were so prevalent at this time is due to the succession of empires and rulers across this region. The other remarkable feature I discovered was the frequency of conquests and reconquests over the centuries. There are major Empires involved Hittite, Minoan, Chalcedon, Persian, Greek, Roman and Byzantine and Ottoman. Then there are other lesser known city states before their country was unified such as: Athenia, Sparta, Phrygia, Caria, Thrace, Mitylene, Lycia. Ionia, Seleucid, Attalia and Mysia. Often these smaller city states give themselves names to build their ego and status as compared with other rival cities.

• “Our city is the first city of the Province of Asia”
• “The first city of the Region of Ionia”
• “The first city of the metropolis of Caria called and great”.

It is clear that the Empires and the local area rulers have kept changing. Each time these cities and towns changed allegiance to another ruler, their fortunes change either for the better or to their detriment. The cities generally embraced the gods of the Empire or Regional State that had conquered them. I have added a map from the Zondervan Atlas edited by Carl Rasmussen, P. 234 to illustrate the spread of Christian influence in the first two centuries.

I have then taken the time to find and locate the other named cities and place them on the map I shared with you of the Seven Cities of Revelation.

Before I begin to explain the terminology of Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity I need to explain the Catholic and Orthodox terms. A See or a Diocese is given where a regional church authority exists to determine and administer Church affairs autnomously. A Titular See is a title only for a Diocese which no longer exists in reality but the church(es) are governed from another city. See is a Latin term which comes from sedes meaning a seat or authority granted with which to govern church affairs. An episcopal chair is occupied by a Bishop in residence. A bishopric appears to be a wider regional authority given to a particular bishop to speak and administer for cities which no longer have a resident bishop. Seemingly a diocese has an appointed Bishop who has a direct line of communication to the Pope. There must be a finite number of Bishops as such. At least that is as far as I can work out the terminology. I have no wish to delve further into the inner workings of Catholicism. I may be corrected by those who have a better handle on Catholicism than I.

I have gathered the historical information relevant to each of these cities which sheds light on the nature of their Christian commitment or lack thereof. I have added all of this information as ‘briefs’ in order to keep it all together in the same Gem. The first of these are the ones with a disappointing report.

Halicarnassus

Alexander the Great sought to make this city great. It houses one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – the Tomb of Mausolus. From which is derived the term mausoleum. This city had a history of sticking with the most recent conqueror’s religion; hence a chequered history. The ruins are nothing more than a tourist attraction.

Hierapolis

This city’s inhabitants worshipped the Phrygian gods with the serpent symbol. The city was known as a stronghold of satan. There was a deep hole (Plutonium) in the city from which vapour and gas emanated. At times the odour would poison birds. There was a stool placed deep in the hole where priests and priestesses sat and under the influence of the gas would utter prophecies. It is claimed the city converted to Christianity in the 4th Century and the Plutonium was filled with rocks to demonstrate their break with the Phrygian gods. The Roman public baths at the time were converted to a Christian Basillica. The city was known as Hierapolis because of the abundance of temples (hieron – Greek for temple). The modern Turkish name is Pamukkale “Cotton Castle” because of the white calcareous deposits from the hot mineral springs which hang like stalactites from the ruins. It became famous again, when under the Turks tourism was encouraged. The number of hotels have killed the town. Now there are monuments to the past everywhere, including the Domitian columns used to build Domitian Gates in honour of the Emperor of Persecution. Charming!

Magnesia¹

Known for the iodesic stones found nearby and the magnetic properties attributed to magic. This village at the mouth of the Meander River practised links to Lydian religious beliefs. Under the Byzantines Magnesia on the Meander came under the Suffragan of Ephesus, the Bishopric of Ephesus. It was recognised as part of a triangle with Ephesus – Priene – Tralles. But despite being recorded in posterity by Pliny and Tacitus because of a link to Eusebius, it never really amounted to anything and remained an unimportant city.

Miletus

In its zenith this Turkish city, now called Palatia, had a twin harbour, a deep water port on the coast and one on the Meander River. There was an island, Lade, in the Mediterrean Sea at the mouth of the River. But due to the silting of the river the deep water port has filled with deposited silt and now the city is 10 kms from the coast. The place where the ancient city of Miletus was situated is now a mound in mosquito ridden swamp. With the physical and economic decline of the town due to the river silting up, the city declined during the Ottoman Period. Under the Greeks it was a scholarly centre with the Milesian School for science and philosophy, but alas no more. It was given a Metropolitan Bishopric under the Byzantine Empire but with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the onset of the Ottoman Empire Miletus went into decline. Most probably due to the silting of the river leading to a decline in importance of the city.

Priene

At its zenith this city was famous for the marble mined from the Mycale mountains behind the city. It was also a religious and an architectural centre under the Greeks. Alexander the Great sought to make this city reknowned for architecture, culture and religion. Many of the municipal buildings have fine marble mined locally but the most significant buildings which remain are the Temple of Asclepius and refurbished temples to honour Egyptian gods Isis, Anubis and Serapis. There is nothing left in the city to remind people of any Christian related heritage.

This following set of seven places and churches represent those with a more positive report. These cities are typical of cities covered already during the period of Roman rule related to the life and culture, worship of gods, idols and religion practices, guilds, entertainment and sexual practices in the context of life behind the façade of respectability of the upper classes.

Adramyttium

This city was a relatively early adopter of Christian beliefs. The city developed into a thriving, vibrant city and with Emperor Constantine’s declaration of Christianity to be the state religion on his conversion in 325 AD. Adramyttium became a Christian metropoleis under the suffragan of Ephesus late that year. They had a succession of bishops, all listed by name until 869. From 869 to 1922 the city had its own suffragan which included other cities. In 1922 it came under the archdiocese of Adramyttium and Pergamum. In this modern age it is now only a collection of wooden fisherman huts surrounded by vineyards and olive groves.

Cyzicus

As one of the great cities of Asia followed the religion of the conquerors until 1063. It was conquered by the Crusaders in the 13th Century and became a patriachate of Constantinople in 1324. According to Michael Le Quien, the city has had a continuous line of bishops from 640 AD 59 listed by name. Nicodemus of Constantinople (1876) lists 85 bishops by name according to Roman records. The city remained a Metropolitan See of the Greek Orthodox Church until 1923 being declared as such by the Convention Concerning Exchange of Greek and Turkish populations.

Dorylaeum

This city was an early adopter of Christianity and was an important stop on Paul’s 2nd journey. This was an important Phrygian city and granted a bishopric in the late Roman period. The city’s bishopric continued under the Byzantine rule under 7 bishops from the suffragan of Synnada from the 4th to the 9th Century. The city was captured by Islam in the 1st Crusade in 1097 AD. Al Harawi, a Muslim author, described Dorylaeum as “a place of medicinal hot springs on the frontier at the end of Christian territory” before his death in 1215. It was taken back by the Seljuk Turks in the 2nd Crusade. The city is included under a Diocese titular bishopric listing under the Catholic Church See. Dorylaeum’s Bishopric was restored in 1715. 18 Bishops are listed between 1715 and 1925. Its most famous bishop of all time was Eusebius. Since 1925 the name of the city has been spelled Dorylaëum.

Philomelium

Philomelium was situated on the interior road to Synnada and the Cicilian Gate and onward to the East. Cicero passed this way on his way to the Cicilian Gate, Also Paul on his second and third journeys. Philomelium embraced the Christian faith early. According to Michael Le Quien there were 7 bishops listed from 381 to 879 AD. The city was given a Titular See for the region of Pisidia under the sufferagan of Antioch Pisidia which continued until the 13th Century. It fell into Byzantine control in 1146 AD and was taken in the 14th Century and rebuilt. From then onward it became a part of the Ottoman Empire. It is now the modern Turkish city of Akšehir, which means the White City, the city of purity.

Synnada

As indicated above was a major interior centre on the way East and the Kings Highway through the mountains and down to the Cilician Gate. Synnada too adopted the Christian faith early and at one point was named the capital of the Province of Asia under the Romans. It was granted the Metropolitan See of Phrygia and housed the bones of St Trophimus, an early martyr in the 3rd Century. Bishop Atticus appointed Theodore to teach the Christians of the city around this time. Le Quien lists a long succession of named bishops from 321 to 1450 AD. After this date Synnada was joined with Philadelphia under a Papal See of Synnada and Philadelphia combined.

Tralles

Ignatius of Antioch visited the church and wrote letters to the Church of Antioch before he was martyred on his way to Rome sometime between 98 and 117 AD. Tralles was ‘christianised’ after the Emperor Constantine made Christianity the state religion in 321 AD. Michael Le Quien lists a line of succession for seven named bishops from 431 to 737 AD. Two bishops are named in the 9th Century and then John is named as a bishop in 1230 AD. The Second Vatican Council appointed 5 bishops from 1661 to 1974 post mortum.

Troas

Troas was made a Free Autonomous City under Marcus Aurelius in 188 AD. The town grew into a city of 100,000 during these golden years of Roman rule. Troas was a significant port and hub of communication for Rome in the Province of Asia. It has been said that Julius Caesar and Constantine considered making Troas the capital of the Empire. Troas was given the Sufferagan of Cyzicus. Le Quien lists a long line of bishops until the 10th Century. A Bishopric was maintained for Troas under Roman Catholic orders until 1971 when it was declared vacant and made a Titular Bishopric.

I am aware this is a lot of information I have given you. But it serves me to ponder the nature of these additional cities in order to evaluate these cities against Thyatira as to the reason why Thyatira was included among the Seven and not one of these other worthy cities. What was the basis of selection? I will follow up this quest in the next Gem. In the meantime you can come to your own conclusions.

It is more normal to embrace the religion of the conqueror than to steadfastly hold to your own religious views.

Ian

To refuse to acknowledge Caesar as Lord under the Romans was a likely death sentence. To then shout Jesus is LORD and King of kings was to invite trouble.

Ian

If you STAND for nothing, you will FALL for anything!

Brian Houston

The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice; it’s conformity!

Rick Godwin