Photos of the Greco Roman Sardis Archaeological Site Ruins

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Photos of the Greco Roman Sardis Archaeological Site Ruins, Turkey. Capital of the Lydian Empire, Home famed  Lydian king Croesus. Photos by Photographer Paul E Williams. (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Greco Roman Sardis Archaeological Site Ruins

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Photos of Sardis (Sart), the capital of the Lydian Empire situated in western,Turkey.

Sardis & King Croesus

Sardis was one of the great important cities of Asia Minor. Sardis thrived under the rule of King Croesus who was famed for his wealth. His great invention was the minting of the first bimetallic coins in gold and silver. The coins were minted under strict control and became a very reliable currency used throughout Asia Minor.

Croesus & The Oracle of Delphi

The weather of Lydia made it a target of the Persians. Croesus fearing an invasion from the Persians consulted the Oracle of Delphi. He wanted to know if he would beat the Persians by attacking them first. The Oracle told Croesus that if he attacked the Persians “a great Empire would fall”.

Taking this as a good omen Croesus attacked the Persians and a great Empire did fall, that of the Lydians. The Persians won and sacked Sardis. In shame Croesus ended his life as a Persian slave.

The Persians ruled Sardis until 334 BC when Sardis fell to Alexander the Great who, sacked the city in revenge for the Persian sack of Athens.

Roman Sardis

The Romans eventually conquered Sardis and developed the city. Fine buildings like Bath Gymnesium were built. The gymnasium is a typical of the Greco Roman design found in Anatolian Roman cities. The design mixes Greek classical features with Roman architectural decorations.

Sardis Temple of Artemis

The Temple of Artemis was originally the fourth largest Ionic temple when built in 300 B.C. Under Roman rule, in 150 AD, the Emperor Antoninus Pius required all Roman cities to have a Temple dedicated to the Imperial family.

In Sardis Temple of Artemis was split into two sections with one half dedicated to Artemis and Empress Faustina and the other half dedicated to Zeus and Emperor Antoninus Pius.

Sardis Synagogue

In 1963 excavations unearthed perhaps the most impressive synagogue in the western diaspora. The excavations yielded over eighty Greek and seven Hebrew inscriptions as well as numerous mosaic floors.

The presence of a 4th Cent Synagogue in a major Roman city made scholars re-examine the relationship between Jews and the late Roman Empire.

Sardis & Sultanas

Today Sardis is located in a wide fertile valley that grows most of the worlds crop of sultanas. Last time I was at Sardis it was harvest season and the archaeological site was surrounded by acres of sultana grapes being sun dried.