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“Thyatira
was situated in the mouth of a long vale which extends north and south
connecting the Hermus and Caicos Valleys. Down the vale a stream flows
south to join the Lycus (near whose left bank Thyatira was situated),
one of the chief tributaries of the Hermus, while its northern end is
divided by only a ridge of small elevation from the Caicos Valley. The
valleys of the two rivers, Hermus and Caicos, stretch east and west,
opening down from the edge of the great central plateau of Anatolia
towards the Aegean Sea. Nature has marked out this road, a very easy
path, for the tide of communication which in all civilised times must
have been large between the one valley and the other. The railway
traverses its whole length now: in ancient times one of the chief
routes of Asia Minor traversed it.
“Not
merely did all communication and trade between those two great and
rich valleys pass up and down the vale; but also, in certain periods
and in certain conditions of the general economy of Asia Minor and the
Aegean lands, a main artery of the Anatolian system of communication
made use of it. The land-road connecting Constantinople with Smyrna
and the southwestern regions of Asia Minor goes that way, and has been
at some periods an important route. The Imperial Post-road took that
course in Roman times. Above all, when Pergamum was the capital of
Asia under the kings, that was the most important road in the whole
country; and its importance as the one great route from Pergamum to
the southeast (including all the vast regions of the central Anatolian
plateau, Syria and the East generally) was proportionate to the
importance which the official capital of the Province retained under
the Roman administration” (Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven
Churches of Asia, Chapter 23).
On
our Holy Days 2000 Page,
by following the Pentecost 2000 links, you may access
both audio and transcripts
relating the significance of Thyatira
to church history. This series by Fred R. Coulter is entitled The
Seven Church Harvest.
On
our Pentecost 2000 Page you will find both audio and transcript relating
the significance of Thyatira to church history.
This series by Fred R. Coulter is entitled The Seven Church
Harvest.
For
a thumbnail sketch of Ancient
Thyatira with photo, visit this site.
Many
enlargeable thumbnail shots of the Ruins
of Ancient Thyatira, may be viewed at this site.
Ephesus: The
City of Change
Symrna: The
City of Life
Pergamum: The
Royal City: The City of Authority
Sardis: The
City of Death
Philadelphia: The
Missionary City
Laodicea: The
City of Compromise
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