Alaşehir 1781187 218135717 2008-06-09T09:14:18Z Joseph Solis in Australia 957447 /* Ancient Philadelphia */ Wikilink for 1390 {{Infobox Settlement <!--more fields are available for this Infobox--See Template:Infobox Settlement--> |settlement_type = Town |subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]] |subdivision_name = {{TUR}} |timezone=[[Eastern European Time|EET]] |utc_offset=+2 |map_caption =Location of Alaşehir within Turkey. |timezone_DST=[[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]] |utc_offset_DST=+3 |official_name = Alaşehir |image_map = Manisa districts.png | subdivision_type1=[[Regions of Turkey|Region]]| subdivision_name1 = Aegean |subdivision_type2=[[Provinces of Turkey|Province]]| subdivision_name2 = Manisa | population_total = |population_as_of = |population_footnotes = |population_density_km2 = |area_total_km2 = |elevation_m = |latd = 38 |latm = 21 |latNS = N |longd = 28 |longm = 31 |longEW = E |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_info = 45|blank_name=[[Turkish car number plates|Licence&nbsp;plate]]| leader_name = |website = [http://www.alasehir.bel.tr/ http://www.alasehir.bel.tr/] }} '''Alaşehir''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: '''Philadélphia''' (Φιλαδέλφεια)) is a town and district of [[Manisa Province]] in the [[Aegean Region, Turkey|Aegean]] region of [[Turkey]]. It is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay ([[Cogamus]] in antiquity), at the foot of the Bozdağ (Mount [[Tmolus]] in antiquity). The city is connected to [[İzmir]] by a {{convert|105|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} railway. It stands on elevated ground commanding the extensive and fertile plain of the [[Gediz River]], ([[Hermus]] in antiquity) presents at a distance an imposing appearance. It has several [[mosque]]s and Christian [[church]]es. There are small industries and a fair trade. From one of the [[mineral spring]]s comes a heavily charged water popular around Turkey. Within Turkey, the city's name is synonymous with the dried [[Sultana (grape)|Sultana]] [[raisins]], although cultivation for the fresh fruit market, less labour-intensive than the dried fruit, gained prominence in the last decades. Named [[Philadelphia (disambiguation)|Philadelphia]] in antiquity, Alaşehir was a highly important center in the early-[[Christian]] and [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] periods, and remained a [[titular see]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]].<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Philadelphia}}</ref> ==Ancient Philadelphia== Alaşehir began as perhaps one of the first ancient cities with the name [[Philadelphia (disambiguation)|Philadelphia]]. It was established in [[189 BC]] by King [[Eumenes II]] of [[Pergamon]] ([[197 BC|197]]-[[160 BC]]). [[Eumenes II]] named the city for the love of his brother, who would be his successor, [[Attalus II]] ([[159 BC|159]]-[[138 BC]]), whose loyalty earned him the nickname, "Philadelphos", literally meaning "one who loves his brother". The city is perhaps best-known as the site of one of the [[seven churches of Asia]] in the [[Book of Revelation]]. Lacking an heir, [[Attalus III|Attalus III Philometer]], the last of the [[Attalid dynasty|Attalid kings of Pergamum]], bequeathed his kingdom, including Philadelphia, to his [[Roman Empire|Roman]] allies when he died in [[133 BC]]. Rome established the province of [[Asia (Roman province)|Asia]] in [[129 BC]] by combining [[Ionia]] and the former Kingdom of [[Pergamum]]. Philadelphia was an independent neutral city, under the influence of the Latin [[Knights of Rhodes]], when taken in [[1390]] by [[Sultan Bayezid I]] and an auxiliary [[Christian]] force under the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] emperor [[Manuel II Palaeologus|Manuel II]] after a prolonged resistance, when all the other cities of Asia Minor had surrendered. Twelve years later it was captured by [[Timur]], who built a wall with the corpses of his prisoners. A fragment of the ghastly structure is in the library of [[Lincoln Cathedral]]. Philadelphia was the last Byzantine stronghold in inner Asia Minor. Its Greek inhabitants fled the town during [[World War I]] and created [[Nea Filadelfeia]], in Greece. ==Philadelphia in the Book of Revelation== It is this ancient Philadelphia site that is commonly surmised to have been the headquarters of one of the [[Seven churches of Asia|seven churches]] referred by [[John of Patmos|John]] in the [[Book of Revelation]].<ref>Revelation 1:11 [[King James Bible|King James Version]]</ref> Philadelphia is the sixth church of the seven. Revelation 1:11 , "Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea."<ref>Revelation 1:11 [[King James Bible|King James Version]]</ref> Revelation 3:7 , "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth."<ref>Revelation 3:7 [[King James Bible|King James Version]]</ref> ==Turkish history== {{Expand-section|date=June 2008}} ===Greek occupation in Alaşehir (1919-1922)=== {{Expand-section|date=June 2008}} ==Modern Alaşehir== {{Expand-section|date=June 2008}} ==Notable people from Alaşehir== * [[Joannes Laurentius Lydus]] (b. [[490]]) Greek administrator and writer * [[Kenan Evren]] * [[Hayri Kozakçıoğlu]] * [[Sümer Oral]] ==Notes== {{reflist}} ==References== *''The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia And their place in the plan of the Apocalypse'', [[William Mitchell Ramsay|W. M. Ramsay]], D.C.L, Litt.D., LL.D., Professor of Humanity in the University of Aberdeen, 1904 *http://www.ephesusguide.com/seven_churches_philadelphia.php *http://www.enjoyturkey.com/Tours/Interest/Biblicals/philadelphia.htm *http://www.toursforchurches.co.uk/turkey-churches.htm *http://www.luthersem.edu/ckoester/Revelation/Philadelphia/main.htm {{Districts of Turkey|provname=Manisa|sortkey=Alasehir}} {{Seven churches of Asia}} [[Category:189 BC establishments]] [[Category:Settlements established in the 2nd century BC]] [[Category:Cities in Turkey]] [[Category:Titular sees in Asia]] [[de:Alaşehir]] [[eo:Alaşehir]] [[fr:Alaşehir]] [[lt:Alašechiras]] [[ja:アラシェヒル]] [[pl:Alaşehir]] [[ru:Алашехир]] [[fi:Filadelfeia]] [[sv:Alaşehir]] [[tr:Alaşehir, Manisa]]