Sardis
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(Rev. 1:11; 3:1)—a city in Asia Minor, capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, situated by the River Pactolus at the foot of Mount Tmolus. Croesus reigned there and became famous for both his wealth and his misfortunes. Cyrus plundered the city, yet it remained rich and important. Near the time of Christ’s birth an earthquake destroyed it, but it was rebuilt. One of the seven churches of Asia addressed in Revelation was at Sardis; the apostolic warning shows that it had already fallen from the height of its spiritual life (Rev. 3:1–6).