Sardis Synagogue
Sardes was founded in the Hermos/Gediz basin, on the banks of Paktalos/Sartçayı and on the northern slopes of the hills west of Tmolos/Bozdaği, by a king named Meles according to the mythos story. The city of Sardes, which was the capital of the Lydia Kingdom, became a Persian satrapal center after the Persians put an end to the Lydia Kingdom in the 6th century BC. It maintained its importance in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods and became an important episcopal center during the Byzantine Period. Temple of Artemis; The temple, which was started to be built in the Hellenistic Period, was probably located in the sanctuary of an ancient cult of Cybele. The temple is in Ionic style and has a pseudodipteros plan. It was initially built in the name of Artemis. In later periods, the cella of the temple was divided into four sections and in these sections, statue heads of Artemis, Zeus Polieus, Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and his wife Faustina were found. The temple was destroyed by an earthquake in 17 A.D. and rebuilt according to the old plan during the reign of Emperor Tiberius. In the 4th century, a chapel was added to the southeast corner of the temple.
