Happy TravellerWelcome to Alaşehir, a town and district in Manisa Province, Turkey. Formerly known as Philadelphia in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, this charming city is steeped in history and culture. Situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay, at the foot of the Bozdağ Mountain, Alaşehir offers breathtaking views of the fertile plain of the Gediz River. With its 45 mosques, small industries, and fair trade, Alaşehir is a bustling town that is sure to captivate visitors. But that’s not all – the city is also famous for its dried Sultana raisins, which are synonymous with the name Alaşehir within Turkey. In recent decades, cultivation for the fresh fruit market has also gained prominence. Join us as we explore the rich history and cultural heritage of this hidden gem in the Aegean region of Turkey.
Alaşehir began as one of the first ancient cities with the name Philadelphia, established in 189 BC by King Eumenes II of Pergamon. The city is perhaps best known as the site of one of the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation. Philadelphia was in the administrative district of Sardis and suffered badly in an earthquake in AD 17. In response, the city granted honors to Roman Emperor Tiberius. Evidence from coinage reveals that Caligula helped the city, and under Vespasian, Philadelphia received his cognomen, Flavia. Under Caracalla, Philadelphia housed an imperial cult. Its coins bore the word Neokoron, meaning temple-sweeper, caretaker of the temple. A small theatre, located at the northern edge of Toptepe Hill, is all that remains of Roman Philadelphia.
Although several ancient cities bore the name of Philadelphia, it is generally agreed to be the one listed among the seven churches written to by John in the Book of Revelation. Philadelphia is listed as the sixth church of the seven. A letter specifically addressed to the Philadelphian church is recorded in Revelation 3:7–13. The city’s history of earthquakes may lie behind the reference to making her church a pillar in the temple.
Philadelphia was a prosperous Byzantine city that was called the little Athens in the 6th century AD because of its festivals and temples. Presumably, that indicates that the city was not entirely converted to Christianity. Ammia, the Christian prophetess, was from Philadelphia, however. In about 600, the domed Basilica of St. John was built, remains of which are the main archaeological attraction in the modern city. The Byzantine walls that once surrounded the city have all but crumbled away. A few remnants are still visible at the northeast edge of town, near the bus stand. The city was taken by the Seljuk Turks in 1074 and 1093–1094. In the 11th to the 15th centuries AD, it was the seat of the doux and stratopedarches of the Thrakesion theme. It was the centre of several revolts against ruling Byzantine emperors: in 1182, led by John Komnenos Vatatzes, and 1188–1205 or 1206, led by Theodore Mangaphas, a local Philadelphian, against Isaac II Angelos. At that time, the bishopric of Philadelphia was promoted to metropolis. In the 14th century, Philadelphia was made the metropolis of Lydia by the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople, a status that it still holds. It was granted this honour because the city did not capitulate to the Ottomans. The city was prosperous especially in the 13th and 14th centuries: there was a Genoese trading colony, and the city was an important producer of leather goods and red-dyed silk (whence, perhaps, its Turkish name, which probably means red city). By the 14th century, the city was surrounded by Ottoman emirates but maintained nominal allegiance to the Byzantine emperor. The city remained prosperous through trade and its strategic location.
From 1867 until 1922, Alaşehir was part of the Aidin Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. The Greek Army occupied the city during the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922). There is dissent about who burned Philadelphia in 1922. American Consul George Horton wrote in his memoirs about the Turkish army tactics of burning every Greek city that they entered, which culminated with the Great Fire of Smyrna. Other accounts put the blame on the other side in which retreating Greek Army carried out a scorched-earth policy while it was retreating from Anatolia during the final phase of the war, which included the Fire
