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THYATIRA

(Gk. Thyátira)

A city (modern Akhisar) just E of the Pergamum/Sardis highway on the plain of the river Lycus. Little is known of its earliest years, but evidence suggests that it was founded in the 2nd century b.c. Following the Greek conquests of the 4th century and the subsequent kingdoms of the Hellenistic period, Thyatira became a garrison town between western regional empires (Pergamum) and the eastern powers in Syria. By 190 it was subject to Pergamum and in 133 fell subject to Rome. It was one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in Rev. 1:11.

As a city of commerce and manufacturing Thyatira became well known for many of its trades. Inscriptions and literary references mention trade guilds working in wool, linen, leather, bronze, armor, dye, tanning, pottery, and baking. In addition artisans from Thyatira discovered how to make purple dye from the madder root without using the expensive shellfish murex. Lydia, a prominent Christian in Philippi, was from Thyatira and sold purple textiles, a vocation that fits perfectly the archaeological evidence.

Paul likely evangelized the city during his two- year ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:10). It is reasonable to assume that Thyatira had a Jewish population like so many other Asian cities. The greatest hurdle for Christian discipleship in Thyatira was posed by the trade guilds; these were not merely business associations, but also religious and civic groups which devoted themselves to patron divinities and indulged in sexual revelry (cf. Rev. 2:18-29). By a.d. 200 Thyatira enjoyed a strong Christian presence and continued to flourish. But because of its geographical vulnerability (crossroads, no natural defenses), it was sacked repeatedly.

Bibliography. E. M. Blaiklock, Cities of the New Testament (London, 1965), 107-11; T. R. S. Broughton, Roman Asia, in An Economic Survey of Ancient Rome, ed. T. Frank (1938, repr. Paterson, N.J., 1959) 4:499-916; C. Foss, “Archaeology and the ‘Twenty Cities’ of Byzantine Asia,” AJA 81 (1977): 469-86; C. J. Hemer, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting (1986, repr. Grand Rapids, 2000); J. McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament (Grand Rapids, 1991).

Gary M. Burge

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

THYATIRA

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)