Meaning of PERGAMUM

(also "Pergumum", or "Pergamos").
The most important city of Mysia, 5 km north of the Caicos River, and 24 km from the Aegean Sea. It had been the capital of an opulent kingdom, many of whose kings bore the name of Attalus.

The first of this dynasty, Attalus I, acceded to the throne in 241 BC. He repelled the invading Gallic hordes, who eventually settled in the territory that has since been called Galatia.

Eumenus, his son, succeeded him in the year 197 BC, beautified Pergamos, and created a famous library, the second in importance after that of Alexandria. Attalus III died in 133 BC, after having bequeathed his property to the Romans and agreed to the independence of Pergamon and its surroundings.

The Romans took over the city, and turned that kingdom into a province of Asia (129-126 BC), of which the city of Pergamon became the capital.

In 6 BC, the proconsul, governor of the province under the Empire, moved his residence to Ephesus. Mark Antony donated to Cleopatra the 200,000 volumes of the Pergamon library that went to add to that of Alexandria.

The acropolis of Pergamon stood on a steep hill, 304 m. above the plain. Near the summit stood a monumental altar that Eumenus II had raised to commemorate his father's victory over the Gauls.

Near this altar was a temple dedicated to Athena. In Roman times, a temple dedicated to Augustus was built on the acropolis. Outside the city was the famous sanctuary of Asklepios (Aesculapius), god of medicine, which attracted crowds.

The parchment (lat. «pergamena»; gr. «pergamênê») is named after this city (see PERGAMINO).
Pergamos is the third of the seven churches of Asia. In Revelation it says that the "throne of Satan" was there.

Antipas, a faithful Christian, suffered martyrdom in this citadel of paganism (Rev. 1:11; 2:12-17).
Today this city is called Bergama.