Nearby is the caldarium, the best preserved part of the city baths. Three hundred meters to the east of the synagogue is one of the seven churches of Asia Minor mentioned in the Book of Revelations. The main street through the city, which runs past the synagogue and the south wall of the gymnasium, dates from the 4th century AD. It was originally paved with large marble slabs. Nearly thirty Byzantine shops have been excavated here. On the opposite side of the road are the remains of a priet'ss house dating from Lydian times.
The people of Sardis originally worshipped the mother goddess Cybele and subsequently her later manifestation, Artemis. A temple and altar dedicated to Artemis dating from after the time of Alexander remained in use during the Roman period, when it was renovated several times. Contrary to the usual custom the temple and altar face westwards, a feature it shares with the temples of Artemis at Ephesus and Magnesia, revealing roots in a more ancient Anatolian cult.

In the centre of the refinery area where gold was melted to remove impurities is an altar to Cybele, presumably to secure the goddss'sb protection for the gold workers. Excavations have revealed that shops selling jewellery were located close to the gold workshops. Herodotus records that the people of Sardis were merchants and it is he who tells us that the minting of coinage was among their inventions. They were also extremely fond of perfumes, and the scented unguents which they produced were packaged in tiny vases known as lydions for export all along the coasts of the Aegean.
When you visit Sardis, that city whose memory is inextricably associated with gleaming gold treasure, envisage its wealthy citizens putting on red robes for their evening meal, and reclining on couches with ivory legs and purple cushions.

See them wearing purple robes for attending meetings, annointing their long hair - of which they were so proud - with perfumed oils, and dressing it with tiny gold ornaments in a thousand and one forms. They loved games of all kinds, and played with dice and knucklebones. They loved wild music in which high-pitched sounds predominated. They favoured sculpture, architecture and theatre over literature. As you explore the theatre in your sandalled feet, you will perhaps sense the crowds of Lydians milling around you in excited anticipation of the entertainment to come.

* Emine Caykara is a freelance writer