Day 4: Satan's Seat and Synagogue

In the morning we stood by the ocean and read Acts 16:6-10 about the vision Paul had of a man in Macedonia inviting him to come over. We then drove south, the route Paul also traveled in Acts 20:13. The countryside was neat and reminded me of what I would have thought of as “Greek looking.” It was Greek practically since the Isle of Lesvos in Greece was within veiw. We arrived in Assos and walked around the ruins of a great ancient ruins of the temple of Athena built in the 6^th century BC. Not much left except for a few pillars, but it was neat to climb up the hill. There was also the remains of a Byzantium or Ottoman fortress as well. There were some local village women there and I bought some hand-made things from them.
We then drove to Pergamum, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. We visited the Acropolis which was up on the hill (we had to take a tram) that included the steepest Roman theatre in the world, a marketplace, and temples to Tragion (an Emperor) and Athena. There used to be a temple to Zeus there as well but the German archeologists plundered it and took it all away to Germany many years ago. It is here in Revelation 2:13 where John tells us is Satan’s throne. He was probably referring to the Temple of Zeus which would have sat up on the hill or maybe to emperor worship which was just starting here. If it was the temple to Zeus Satan’s throne is now in Germany. J It was neat sitting in the theatre: at one music someone down in the valley started playing music and we could hear it well due to the aucustics of the valley.

We also stopped by Ascelpion, which is known as the world’s first health center, a sanctuary for the God of Medicine Asclepius. We walked through a tunnel where priests would take people and whisper in their ears. Our tour guild reminded us that through psychological thinking can you can cure yourself, explaining the healing of the place. It seemed something important to him to point out. There was an old Roman Road, as well as lots of old pillars that were fun to look at and explore. There was a theatre there as well where they could have done plays, gladiator fights or reinactments of naval battles (by filling up the pit with water.) 

Either before or after that we went to a Turkish Rug making center. We saw how silk was made (boiling cocoons then stringing them out into string) and they did a little presentation to us about the carpets. We were in a big room seated around the outside and they started rolling out the carpets while we drank cherry juice. We were sitting on padded seats and there were rugs on the walls. They were doing tricks to roll out the carpets in a special way and I felt like a Sultan drinking my drink; I half expected music to start playing and belly dancers to come out. Turkish carpets are made by hand and make months to make. The smallest carpet (the size of a doormat) was about 300 dollars. So needless to say I didn’t buy any Turkish carpets while there.  

On our way to Ephesus to our hotel that night we passed through Izmir, the modern city of ancient Smyrna, another one of the 7 churches of Revelation. Apparently although a wealthy city the saints living there were poor.  John said in Revelation 2 “I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” So I also drove through Satan’s Synagogue that day. That night we stayed in a super nice hotel. Ephesus today is such a huge tourist spot some people fly there just for the nice hotels and beaches and never see the ancient city there. That night we went down to the beach (which was part of the hotel) and had a little dance party. Lots of fun and food!

Assos and the ruins of the Temple of Athena Build 6th century BC.



Pergamum and the remains of a temple to the Roman Emperor Traigon. While this temple was not standning in Johns day, and the temple to Zeus had been hauled away to Germany, this is very near the spot where "Satan's Seat" was.




Steepest theatre in the world.




Hail to the king baby.





Turkish Rug exhibition. Where are the belly dancers?

Here they are!

My roommate in Ascelpion. The snakes on the pilar are a symbol of ressurection; A snake can miraculously shed its skin if it's injured.

Ancient Symra

Speak of the Devil!

Although the next day we would see Ephesus, which is the biggest and best preserved Roman city, I think I enjoyed the ruins we saw this day the most. Pergamum was up on a hill and had lots of unique ruins including lots of remains of a huge temple, a statue of an emperor, and a great view, and Asclepion also had lots of ruins. By Ephesus, the next day, I think I was all ruined out. Ruined for the ruins, so to speak.