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Weakness Made Strong by W. M. Ramsay (Offsite Link)
“Thyatira was situated in the mouth of a long vale which extends north and south connecting the Hermus and Caicos Valleys. Down the vale a stream flows south to join the Lycus (near whose left bank Thyatira was situated), one of the chief tributaries of the Hermus, while its northern end is divided by only a ridge of small elevation from the Caicos Valley. The valleys of the two rivers, Hermus and Caicos, stretch east and west, opening down from the edge of the great central plateau of Anatolia towards the Aegean Sea. Nature has marked out this road, a very easy path, for the tide of communication which in all civilised times must have been large between the one valley and the other. The railway traverses its whole length now: in ancient times one of the chief routes of Asia Minor traversed it.
“Not merely did all communication and trade between those two great and rich valleys pass up and down the vale; but also, in certain periods and in certain conditions of the general economy of Asia Minor and the Aegean lands, a main artery of the Anatolian system of communication made use of it. The land-road connecting Constantinople with Smyrna and the southwestern regions of Asia Minor goes that way, and has been at some periods an important route. The Imperial Post-road took that course in Roman times. Above all, when Pergamum was the capital of Asia under the kings, that was the most important road in the whole country; and its importance as the one great route from Pergamum to the southeast (including all the vast regions of the central Anatolian plateau, Syria and the East generally) was proportionate to the importance which the official capital of the Province retained under the Roman administration” (Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia, Chapter 23).
On our Holy Days 2000 Page, by following the Pentecost 2000 links, you may access both audio and transcripts relating the significance of Thyatira to church history. This series by Fred R. Coulter is entitled The Seven Church Harvest.
On our Pentecost 2000 Page you will find both audio and transcript relating the significance of Thyatira to church history. This series by Fred R. Coulter is entitled The Seven Church Harvest.
- For a thumbnail sketch of Ancient Thyatira with photo, visit this site.
- Several enlargeable thumbnail shots of the Photos of Ancient Thyatira, may be viewed at this site.
