Turkey Property | Sardis

 A river of gold once ran through this ancient capital, flowing through a city that was a terminus of a royal road, a regal burial ground and was rumoured to have been founded by descendents of Hercules.

Sardis first gained prominence in the eighth century BC when it became the capital of the powerful Lydian empire, though archaeologists have found evidence of Stone Age settlement from around 50,000 years ago.

By the seventh and sixth centuries BC it had become a major power in the region, though it was then captured by the Cimmerians, Persians and Athenians. Yet Cyrus the Great confirmed Sardis' importance by making it the terminus of the royal road to his capital of Persepolis in Persia.

This is no doubt due to the fame of the artisans present in Sardis, who were skilled at dyeing wool and carpets, with other trade adding to its wealth. Such was the wealth of Sardis that the historian Herodotus attributed the invention of coinage to the city. Indeed, gold was also central to the city in an almost literal way, for the stream that flowed through its market, the Pactolus, "carried golden sands" - gold dust from the nearby Mt Tmolus.

As with the other cities in Anatolia, control passed between the Persians to the Greeks and then to the Romans and Byzantines and finally the Turks, all of whom left an influence on the land.

Most of what remains now is from the Roman period, especially since an earthquake in AD 17 destroyed it, but this prompted a rebuilding of Sardis. One of the most noticeable remains is the ceremonial court of the bath–gymnasium, as well as the temple of Artemis. Later, the bath-gymanisum was remodelled to allow the addition of a synagogue, the largest ancient one ever excavated in the region.

But it is not just the buildings of Sardis that attracts many visitors around the year, as well as the attention of archaeologists. The great royal burial mounds at Bin Tepe, some six miles to the north-west of the acropolis, attracted both ancient visitors, such as the legendarily rich King Croessus, as well as the less affluent modern tourist.

Although the Romans built up much of the city, they also prompted the decline of Sardis by the re-networking of major roads from Constantinople (modern Istanbul) which bypassed the central-western Anatolia location. Yet remains from the Byzantine era show that it still retained some importance and a population. Unfortunately, the city was caught up in the Crusades as Christian and Muslim battled for its control, but it is thought that it was finally destroyed by the Mongol warlord Timur in 1402.

Modern visitors can visit the city which is near Sart and also visit the Archaeological Museum of Manisa to view the remains of this remarkable ancient city.

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