Pergamon
Ancient Greek city and capital of the Attalid kingdom.
Pergamon, also known as Pergamum, was a wealthy and influential ancient Greek city situated in the region of Aeolis. It was built on a prominent mesa of andesite rock, which formed its acropolis and rose sharply on three sides, with only the southern approach offering a natural route to the summit via three terraces. The city lay on the north side of the Caicus River (modern Bakırçay), approximately 26 kilometers from the Aegean Sea, and northwest of the modern Turkish city of Bergama. Two rivers, the Selinus and the Cetius, flowed past its western and eastern sides, respectively. The site, located in the historic region of Mysia, sits at the northern edge of the Caicus plain, where the river breaks through surrounding hills. Although close to the sea, the plain is blocked by the Karadağ massif, giving the area an inland character; in Hellenistic times, the town of Elaia at the river’s mouth served as Pergamon’s port. The climate is Mediterranean, with a dry period from May to August.
The city’s history extends back to the Archaic period, with archaeological finds including pottery from the late 8th century BC. The earliest literary mention comes from Xenophon’s *Anabasis*, which records that the Ten Thousand ended their march there in 400/399 BC. At that time, Pergamon was held by the family of Gongylos, a Greek loyal to the Achaemenid Empire. The city later became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon under the Attalid dynasty from 281 to 133 BC. The Attalids transformed it into a major cultural center of the Greek world, and its most famous surviving monument is the Pergamon Altar. The city was also noted as the northernmost of the seven churches of Asia in the New Testament’s Book of Revelation. In 2014, Pergamon was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- location
- Aeolis, modern-day Bergama, Turkey
- capital_of
- Kingdom of Pergamon under the Attalid dynasty
- known_for
- Pergamon Altar, Library of Pergamon, production of parchment
- UNESCO_listing
- 2014
Lore & Background
The site shows settlement from the Archaic period, with pottery fragments dating to the late 8th century BC. At that time, Pergamon was held by the family of Gongylos from Eretria, who had received it from Xerxes I. Philetaerus founded the dynasty after the collapse of the Kingdom of Thrace. His successors—Eumenes I, Attalus I, Eumenes II, Attalus II, and Attalus III—enlarged the kingdom. The city was rebuilt on a monumental scale, with a new wall enclosing about 90 hectares. The Attalids aimed to create a second Athens, building a library second only to Alexandria and fostering the production of parchment (though parchment was used earlier).
Reader's Guide
Pergamon’s significance stems from its dual role as a Hellenistic political capital and a cultural powerhouse. Under the Attalid dynasty, the city was transformed into a major center of Greek civilization, with its library and production of parchment helping to preserve and transmit ancient knowledge. The city’s most famous monument, the Pergamon Altar, remains a masterpiece of Hellenistic art. Pergamon’s acropolis was built on a steep mesa of andesite, which drops sharply on three sides but offers a route to the summit via three natural terraces on the south. The Selinus and Cetius rivers flank the site to the west and east. The city lies inland, despite being near the sea, because the Caicus plain is blocked by the Karadağ massif; its port was the town of Elaia at the river’s mouth. The climate is Mediterranean, with a dry period from May to August. The area’s volcanic andesite rock forms a massif about one kilometer wide and 5.5 kilometers long, with a narrow upper city. Pergamon is also noted as the northernmost of the seven churches of Asia cited in the Book of Revelation. Its UNESCO World Heritage listing in 2014 recognizes the site’s outstanding universal value.
Did You Know?
- Pergamon was the northernmost of the seven churches of Asia cited in the New Testament Book of Revelation.
- The name 'parchment' is a corruption of 'pergamenos', meaning 'from Pergamon', though parchment was used in Anatolia long before the city's rise.
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