Sardis

Sardis, the capital of ancient Lydia in Asia Minor, stood at the northern foot of Mount Tmolus (5906 feet) and $2\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$ miles S. of the Hermus. Through its market-place flowed the Pactolus over sands rich in gold, an allusion in all probability to the wealth of the inhabitants, who wove woollen stuffs and carpets, and organised the traffic between the highlands of the interior and the coast; it was, moreover, the grand and luxurrious capital of Cresus, a monarch of fabulous wealth. In spite of the strength of its citadel, it was destroyed by the Cimmerian Gauls in the 7th century B.C., by the Athenians in the 6th, by Antiochus the Great in 215 B.C., and by Timur in 1402; besides this it was overwhelmed by earthquake in the reign of Tiberius. Both Xerxes and Cyrus the Great resided here before setting out on their great expeditions. As Byzantium rose to importance, Sardis lost the advantages of its situation on the great land-route between Persia and Rome, and gradually declined. At the present day there is nothing left at its site, Sart, except a small village and ruin mounds. The cemetery of the ancient city, 4 miles distant across the Hermus, is of great extent, and has been in part opened up in recent times.