The ancient city of Sardis in Asia Minor is usually best known as the capital of the Lydians, who pioneered the use of coins replacing barter, as well as inventing the game of dice, and as being one of the Seven Churches prominently mentioned in St. John’s Revelation or Apocalypse. If one accepts Old Testament records, the descendants of Lydia were referred to as “Lud” in Genesis (10:22), tracing their beginnings to Noah’s son, Shem. Sardis would develop into a significant trade center, serving several ancient civilizations from the Hittites to the Romans.
The Early Years of Sardis
Scholars agree that not much is known about Sardis and its inhabitants prior to the Hittites. As the Hittites expanded their empire, facilitating trade throughout the Mediterranean region, Sardis may have grown as an early commercial center. It was known for its fruits and its wool as well as the worship of Cybele, the mother-goddess. In the Old Testament it was referred to as "Sepharad," and may have been a haven for exiles fleeing the destruction of Jerusalem (see the OT prophet Obadiah). The city became the capital of the Lydian civilization, benefiting from huge gold deposits often equated with its most famous king, Croesus. The adage “rich as Croesus” is rooted in Lydian wealth.
In 605 BC Lydians are mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah, who commented on an important battle near the Euphrates River between Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt (Jer.46.9). The Lydians were allies of the Egyptians, known for their ability to “handle and bend the bow.” Some scholars believe that the Lydians were actually mercenaries, a common practice and one which several Pharaohs availed themselves of.
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