Pergamon

Pergamon was a rich and old city.

It sits in Turkey. The city is on a high hill. This hill is made of hard rock.

Two rivers flow near the city. One river is to the west. The other is to the east. Many stone buildings are still there. You can see a large altar today.

It is a very special place to see.

Pergamon was a rich and powerful Greek city.

It is located in Turkey. The city sits near the Aegean Sea.

It is built on a high hill called an acropolis. This hill is made of hard rock. The rock falls away in steep cliffs on three sides. Two rivers flow near the city. The Selinus River is to the west. The Cetius River is to the east.

A ruling family called the Attalids led the city. They wanted to make it a center for art. They built a great library there. It was almost as big as the library in Alexandria. The city was also famous for making parchment. Parchment is a material used for writing. Many old buildings still stand today. You can see the famous Pergamon Altar.

This altar is a true masterpiece. The city is now a World Heritage site. This means it is a very special place for the whole world.

Pergamon was a very rich and powerful ancient Greek city.

It sits in the northwest part of modern Turkey. The city is located in a region called Mysia. It is near the Aegean Sea, but it is not on the coast. A large mountain range blocks the way to the water.

The city is built on a high hill made of hard rock. This rock is called andesite. The hill is a large mass about 5.5 km long. It has steep cliffs on three sides. Two rivers flow near the city to provide water. The Selinus River flows to the west. The Cetius River flows to the east.

The city's shape is defined by its high, rocky ground. The upper city sits on a small, narrow peak. This peak is only about 200 meters wide. To the south, the land falls away in a gentle slope. This area widens out into a large plain.

There is a special area called the Garden of the Queen. The rock here reaches its highest point. The city uses natural terraces to create paths up the hill. These paths make it easier to reach the top. The climate is Mediterranean and can be very dry. This happens from May until August.

Pergamon has a very long and interesting history. People lived in the area during the Bronze Age. We know this because of old stone tools found nearby.

In the 8th century BC, people brought pottery from Greece. A famous writer named Xenophon mentioned the city in 400 BC. At that time, the city was held by a Greek family. Later, Alexander the Great took control of the area. This changed how the city grew and looked. The old buildings were often replaced by new ones.

Between 281 and 133 BC, the Attalid dynasty ruled the city.

They made Pergamon a major center for art and culture. They wanted to create a place like Athens. The kings built a huge library there. It was famous for being second only to the Library of Alexandria.

The city was also a famous place for making parchment. This is a material used for writing on. The kingdom grew very large after 188 BC. It reached its biggest size after fighting wars with Rome. The city had a massive wall to keep it safe.

Many famous structures from the past still exist today.

The most famous one is the Pergamon Altar. It is considered a true masterpiece of art.

You can also see a very steep theatre. It is one of the steepest in the whole world.

During the Roman period, the city was rebuilt again. They built a new city at the bottom of the hill. This included large temples and a big stadium. In 2014, Pergamon became a UNESCO World Heritage site. This means it is a very important place for everyone.

Pergamon was a powerful and wealthy ancient Greek city located in the region of Aeolis.

Today, the site sits in northwest Turkey within the historic region of Mysia. It is positioned near the Aegean Sea, though it sits on a plain blocked from the coast by the Karadağ massif. The city was a major cultural center of the Greek world. It is also recognized as the northernmost of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the New Testament Book of Revelation. In 2014, the site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its immense historical value.

The physical layout of Pergamon is defined by its unique geology. The city is built upon a large massif of andesite, which is a type of volcanic rock. This rock formation is about 1 km wide and 5.5 km long from north to south. The landscape consists of a broad base and a narrow, high peak known as the acropolis. The terrain falls away sharply on the north, west, and east sides. To the west, the Selinus River flows through the city. To the east, the Cetius River passes by. The south side features three natural terraces that provide a route up the steep hills.

One specific area on the southeast spur is known as the 'Garden of the Queen.'

The history of habitation in this area stretches back many centuries. While no direct evidence of Bronze Age settlement exists, stone tools from that era have been found nearby. By the late 8th century BC, the Archaic period saw settlement through the arrival of imported pottery from eastern Greece and Corinth. The first literary mention of the city appears in Xenophon's Anabasis. He recorded the march of the Ten Thousand ending at Pergamon in 400/399 BC. At that time, the city was controlled by the family of Gongylos. Later, Alexander the Great removed the region from Persian control, which fundamentally changed the city's development.

The Hellenistic period marked the rise of the Attalid dynasty.

This dynasty began in 281 BC when Philetaerus became an independent ruler. The Attalids ruled until 133 BC through a series of leaders, including Eumenes I, Attalus I, Eumenes II, Attalus II, and Attalus III. They sought to transform Pergamon into a second Athens. To achieve this, they remodeled the acropolis and built a massive library. This library was considered second only to the Library of Alexandria.

The city also became a famous center for producing parchment, a writing material. While the name is linked to Pergamon, the material had been used in Anatolia long before the city's rise.

Through strategic alliances, the Kingdom of Pergamon reached its greatest extent in 188 BC. The Attalids were loyal supporters of Rome during various Macedonian Wars. Following the Roman-Seleucid War, the Peace of Apamea rewarded Pergamon with former Seleucid territories in Asia Minor.

During this peak, the city was rebuilt on a monumental scale. A massive new city wall was constructed to enclose an area of approximately 400 hectares. The brothers Eumenes II and Attalus II ruled during this golden age. They were noted for their lack of rivalry, which was rare for Hellenistic dynasties. Attalus II even earned the title 'Philadelphos,' meaning 'he who loves his brother.'

The transition to Roman rule changed the city's political status. When Attalus III died without an heir in 133 BC, he left the kingdom to Rome. This led to an uprising led by Aristonicus, but he was eventually defeated in 129 BC. Later, in 88 BC, Mithridates VI used Pergamon as his headquarters during his war against Rome.

After his defeat, the Romans stripped the city of its free status and required it to pay tribute. Despite these hardships, the local aristocracy worked to maintain the city's greatness. They acted as donors to fund various developments and maintain relationships with Roman leaders.

The Roman period brought a comprehensive redesign of the urban landscape. Under emperors like Trajan and Hadrian, a 'new city' was built at the base of the acropolis.

This expansion included massive temples, a stadium, a theatre, a forum, and an amphitheatre. The theatre of Pergamon is particularly notable for being one of the steepest in the world.

The city also hosted a shrine to Asclepius, the god of healing. One of the most famous surviving monuments is the Pergamon Altar.

This masterpiece remains a symbol of the city's incredible artistic and architectural legacy.