SMYRNA
Smyrna is commended for their tribulation and poverty, and warned of persecution.
SMYRNA
Smyrna, also known as Izmir in modern Turkey, has a rich and long history dating back to ancient times.
The city was founded by the Aeolians, one of the tribes of ancient Greece, around the 11th century BC. The city became a major center of trade and commerce, as well as a cultural and artistic center. In the 7th century BC, the city came under the control of the Lydians, and later the Persians. After the conquests of Alexander the Great, Smyrna became part of the Greek Seleucid Empire.
During the Roman period, Smyrna became an important center of the Roman province of Asia. The city’s prosperity continued during the Byzantine period, and it became an important center of Christianity. In the 7th century, the city was conquered by the Arabs, and later by the Seljuks and the Ottomans.
In the ancient city of Smyrna, there was a church dedicated to St. Polycarp, a bishop of Smyrna in the 2nd century who was martyred there. This church was one of the oldest and most important Christian communities in Asia Minor, and it’s believed that this is the church that John was referring to in the Book of Revelation. Today, the city of Izmir, Turkey has a large Christian population, but the church of St. Polycarp is not exist anymore.
Throughout its history, Smyrna was an important port city and commercial center, with a diverse population that included Greeks, Turks, Armenians, Jews, and other ethnic groups. In the Republic of Turkey period, Izmir is the third-most populous city in Turkey and the country’s second largest port after Istanbul. The city has undergone significant modernization and redevelopment in recent years, and it is now a major economic and cultural center in western Turkey.