We visited ancient Pergamum, often called Pergamon, during our road trip to the cities named in Revelation. The archaeological sites are around modern Bergama in western Turkey. The acropolis, its steep theatre and the remains of several temples gave us plenty to explore; we also visited places beyond the hilltop site.
Revelation 2:12, 13 refers to Pergamum as the place “where the throne of Satan is.” We wondered what that meant as we walked among the ruins. The verse does not identify a particular building, so the discussion below offers possibilities rather than a definite identification.
The altar of Zeus and the acropolis
One well-known interpretation connects the expression in Revelation with the altar of Zeus. On the hilltop, we could see its prominent position and the remains of its base. The scale and setting explain why this structure draws attention, but its appearance alone cannot tell us what Jesus meant.
Our original article also included a photograph of the reconstructed altar in Berlin. The remains in Bergama and the museum display are in different places, so check the current status of each venue if you hope to see both.
Emperor worship as another possible context
We also thought about the city’s association with emperor worship. The temple of Trajan and an inscription using the term neokoros made that part of Pergamum’s later history tangible to us. The temple of Trajan was built after the message in Revelation was written, so it cannot itself be the building that the first-century audience saw when that message was delivered.
Revelation mentions Antipas as a faithful witness who was killed in Pergamum, but does not say how or why he was killed. We cannot use the surviving temples to establish the circumstances of his death. For us, the ruins provided historical context for thinking about the pressures faced by the congregation, without settling which explanation of “throne of Satan” is right.
What else we saw in Pergamum
The hillside theatre
The theatre was one of the most striking places on our visit. Its rows climb the steep hillside, with a wide view over the valley and modern Bergama. It is worth allowing time to take in the setting, even if your main interest is Bible history.
The Asklepieion
The Asklepieion is a separate ancient sanctuary associated with healing, away from the hilltop acropolis. We noticed snake imagery and objects connected with healing practices. If you plan to see it too, look up the current entrance separately rather than assuming it is part of the acropolis visit.
The library area and the Red Basilica
We also stopped to look at the remains associated with Pergamum’s library. Elsewhere in Bergama, the large building known as the Red Basilica gave us another example of how many periods of history overlap here. These places added variety to our visit beyond the better-known theatre and altar.
Planning a visit to Bergama
The acropolis, Asklepieion and Red Basilica are separate stops. Use a current map to plan how you will move between them, and check each venue’s opening hours, admission and access before travelling. Our photographs and notes reflect what we saw on our visit; site conditions can change.
For the broader trip, see our suggested route through the seven congregations. You may also enjoy our visits to ancient Smyrna and Thyatira.
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