Cited in ‘The Book of Revelations’ as one of the Seven Churches of Asia, the Turkish city called Pergamon reached its peak of importance in the Hellenistic period. It doesn’t take long to figure out the strategic importance of the acropolis of ancient Pergamon, it sits high above the modern city, with a commanding view in all directions. Historians claim Alexander the Great appropriately called the city, ‘Eagle’s Nest.’ Any invading army would have had a very difficult task attacking the fortified walls of the city, after a difficult climb to the summit. Pergamon is probably most famous for its incredible library, once rumored to hold over 200,000 books, second only in historical importance to the ancient library at Alexandria in Egypt. Parchment, the ancient method of writing on soft calf-skin to produce books, comes from Pergamon. Evidently, the development of parchment was out of necessity. Before parchment, books were written on papyrus imported from Egypt. But as the library at Pergamon grew in importance, the Egyptians stop selling papyrus to Pergamon. Some say out of jealousy and fear that the library at Pergamon would surpass that of Alexandria in importance? Whatever the reason, the need for another material to write on become necessary and parchment was invented. It is also believed that Mark Anthony and Cleopatra spent their honeymoon in Pergamon? I can’t imagine what the city looked like 2000 years ago, as it played host to Cleopatra and Mark Anthony on their ‘weekend getaway’ but today the overwhelming beautify of the city and its surrounding landscape make it certainly worthy of a visit!

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