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Historical Spotlights
Argives and Trallian Thracians founded the city of Tralles. It fell under the control of Cyrus and the Persian Empire in 546 B.C.E., and Alexander the Great took the city in 334 B.C.E. He used it as a base until Tralles became part of the Pergamene Kingdom after 189 B.C.E.
The ancient historian Strabo recognized Tralles for the great wealth and prosperity of her people. Tralles’ riches were famous in Alexander’s time and during the reign of the Pergamene kings. Schools of philosophy and art were established as well as the magnificent Pergamene palace. The city was also renowned for its pottery.
In later times, Anthemius, a Greek from Tralles, became a distinguished mathematician, physicist, and architect in Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. With Isidore of Miletus, “the greatest geometer of antiquity,” Anthemius designed the renowned cathedral Hagia Sophia for Justinian I. Also from Tralles was Pythadoris, the granddaughter of Marc Anthony and wife of the king of Pontus Polemon I. Pythadoris ruled for four decades as queen. Her grandson Polemon II was briefly married to Bernice (Acts 25:13, 23; 26:30), granddaughter of King Herod.
Tralles eventually fell and became part of the Roman Empire. Augustus helped rebuild it after a great earthquake as he did for many other cities.
I know that ye possess an unblameable and sincere mind in patience, and that not only for present use, but as a permanent possession, as Polybius your bishop has shown me, who has come to Smyrna by the will of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, with the co-operation of the Spirit, and so sympathized in the joy which I, who am bound in Christ Jesus, possess, that I beheld your whole multitude in Him. Having therefore received through him the testimony of your good-will according to God, I gloried to find that you were the followers of Jesus Christ the Saviour.
Tralles in Christian History
According to Acts 18:23, the Apostle Paul passed through Galatia and Phrygia “strengthening all the disciples” before reaching his destination in Ephesus. He probably would have followed the Meander River Valley, which means he likely could have stopped to encourage the believers in Tralles. If the Christian community there did not originate with Paul, it probably began with students from the apostle’s school of Tyrannus in Ephesus, or with Epaphras, who went beyond Tralles to evangelize in Colossae.
Ignatius’ letter to Christians in Tralles in 108 A.D. suggests that a church had been established there for some time. The Bishop of Tralles, Polybius, visited Ignatius at Smyrna when Ignatius was en route to his martyrdom in Rome. In his letter, Ignatius addresses church polity (referring to bishops and deacons), correction doctrine and a warning of heresies from false adherents to Christ. Ignatius strongly defends both the deity and humanity of Jesus as well as his death and resurrection and urges the church follow his counsel in unity and love.
Written content & images are courtesy of Ronnie Jones III & Will Rockett and are featured in the elegant book series To the Saints in Asia Minor.