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Sardis 79 pictures Sardis is located on the road between Izmir-Usak, about 80 km west of Izmir. In this site there are remains even from the Palaeolithic period. Sardis was the capital of the Lydian empire in the 6^th -7^th centuries B.C., During the Mermand dynasty (680-547 B.C.), the empire reached from the Aegean sea to central Anatolia. Sardis was sacked by Cyrus the Great and remained under Persian control until 334 B.C., when it was captured by Alexander the Great. From 180 B.C. to 133 B.C. the city was under the rule of Pergamon, and later under the Roman Empire. In the Byzantine period, Sardis became the center of a diocese. Temple of Artemis The altar to Artemis had existed since the beginning of the 4^th century B.C. The original temple was built in 300 B.C., after Alexander the Great came to the city. The altar faced west. Gymnasium This large complex is over five acres wide, including a gymnasium and a bathhouse. It is located next to the synagogue. There are remains of inscriptions that have been recovered. The ornate east-facing front of the gymnasium was constructed at the beginning of the 3^rd century A.D., in the time of the Emperors Geta and Caracalla. Synagogue This structure is one of the largest ancient synagogues in Asia. Its location is in the center of the city. There had been a big Jewish community in Sardis. The Synagogue was built in the 3^rd century A.D., and is a building of unequalled splendour. Square Colonnaded Street Back to Turkey Index