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Sardes
Unless otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes, but you have to acknowledge Livius.
Sardes, seen from the west. Photo Jona Lendering. Sardes was the capital of ancient Lydia, which was founded by king Gyges (680-644). This is more or less confirmed by archaeologists, who noticed that during the second quarter of the seventh century, Sardes became much more impressive. The last king of Lydia was the proverbially rich Croesus. In c.547, the Persian king Cyrus the Great captured Sardes and made it the western capital of his empire. From here, the Persians ruled the Yaunâ, notorious pirates and clever salesmen from the west.
A Lydian. Relief from the eastern apadana stairs, Persepolis. Photo Marco Prins. A relief from the eastern stairs of the Apadana at Persepolis, showing a man from Sfart (Sardes), offering tribute to the great king Darius I the Great. 
The citadel of Sardes, seen from the north. Photo Marco Prins. At the beginning of the fifth century, the Yaunâ revolted and destroyed the lower part of Sardes. The citadel of Sardes, on this picture seen from the north, remained uncaptured and the Persians were able to retaliate. However, in 334, the Macedonian king Alexander the Great captured Sardes. This was the beginning of the end of the Persian empire. From now on, the region was subjected to continuous warfare, which lasted until the Romans conquered Asia Minor.
The Lydian market at Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The Lydian market at Sardes. Almost all ruins that can be seen today date back to the Hellenistic and Roman age. Persian buildings have not received much attention (although traces of terraces have been found at the citadel) and the Lydian remains have turned out to be very few.
A metal plaque from the Persian age that was excavated in Sardes. It shows two royal sphinxes and a solar disk.
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The temple of Artemis at Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The temple of Artemis at Sardes; and the citadel (background). Originally dedicated to Cybele, the new sanctuary was founded by Alexander, but the actual building was started by the Seleucid kings. However, the blueprint was too grandiose and the temple was never finished. It was only after 175 BCE that construction was resumed. Again, it was impossible to finish the sanctuary.
The temple of Artemis at Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. During the reign of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161), the buiding was finally complete. By then, however, the goddess Artemis had been forced to share her home with the emperor. It was now a double sanctuary.
The gymnasium at Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The gymnasium at Sardes. This building was constructed during the reign of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus (193-211). Much of it has been restored. An inscription mentions a dedication to Geta and Caracalla, the emperor's sons.
The decoration of the gymnasium at Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The decoration of the gymnasium at Sardes.
The decoration of the gymnasium at Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The decoration of the gymnasium at Sardes.
The synagogue of Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The synagogue of Sardes. It has been dated to the third century CE and occupied a long hall on the south side of the gymnasium. The Jewish presence in Lydia, however, is much older and it has even been thought that there were Jews in Sardes as early as the third quarter of the sixth century BCE (if the Sepharad mentioned in Obadiah 20 are indeed the Jews of Sfard, the old name of Sardes).
The synagogue of Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The synagogue of Sardes. The sacred books were kept in this little shrine, which is situated in the corner facing Jerusalem.
The synagogue of Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The synagogue of Sardes. There were no separate arrangements for women, which suggests that they worshipped with the men.
The synagogue of Sardes. Photo Marco Prins. The marble table in the synagogue of Sardes. Similar eagles were found elsewhere and can be seen in the museum of Manisa.
related sites: Pactolus and Bin Tepe.
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