PERGAMUM, or PERGAMUS (Gr. Pergamon, or Pergamos), to-day Bergama, was an ancient city of Mysia, the seat of an independent kingdom from about 280 to 133 BC, when the last of the Attalid rulers bequeathed it to Rome, and the capital of the Roman province of Asia from 133 BC until the 2nd cent AD. It lay in the Caicus valley about 15 miles from the sea, and its acropolis rose between two tributary streams 3 miles N. of the Caicus. As the capital of a kingdom, Pergamum had acquired a considerable importance. But it stood on no great trade route, and under the Romans it slowly lost all but the official pre-eminence in the province. Its kings had been champions of Greek civilization and arts, and it still remained a centre of conservative culture. But Ephesus was now the centre of trade, and it was at Ephesus that West and East met together, creating a medley of all philosophies and all religions. At Pergamum there were splendid temples of Zeus and Athene, where these gods were worshipped in the ordinary Greek way, but others also of Dionysus and Asklepios. Its library rivalled Alexandria's and was largely transferred to that city by the Romans (see ALEXANDRIA). Parchment made from sheepskin or goatskin gets its name from Pergamum, and was allegedly invented by King Eumenes, founder of the library.
The only allusion to Pergamum in the NT is in the Apocalypse, where (1.11, 2.12) it is included among the seven churches of Asia. The message to it (2.12-17) speaks of Pergamum as the place 'where Satan's throne is.' While it is possible that this refers to it as the chief seat of heathen worship in general, it is more probable that it refers to the worship of Rome and Augustus, participation in which had become a test of loyalty, and therefore a frequent ground of Christian martyrdom. Christians would be brought to Pergamum for trial from any northern part of the province, and the mention of one martyr, Antipas, as having suffered there does not prove that he belonged to Pergamum. The Church at Pergamum is charged with having 'some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, that they might eat things sacrificed to idols and practice immorality'; and also 'some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.' We must gather from this that a definite section of the church at Pergamum maintained that, inasmuch as heathen ceremonies meant nothing (cf 1Co.8.4, 10.19), they were at liberty to join in idolatrous feasts, and thus to maintain their social position and justify their loyalty in the sight of the law. Important excavations were conducted at Pergamum by a German expedition in 1879-1886 and again from 1901 on. The great acropolis with its temples and palaces was dug up. Marvellous works of art were recovered ? notably a great altar with sculptures of the Gigantomachy. [Article: Dictionary of the Bible, J.Hastings, 2nd Ed., T&T.Clark, 1963 - A.E.H. - E.G.K.]