In the Book of Revelation John writes one of his letters to the Church in Pergamum (Revelation 2:12).
Pergamum is in modern day Turkey, near Istanbul, but in John’s day it was part of the Roman Empire and the centre of trade.
Despite Jesus’ rebuke to the Christian Church, he honoured them for their faithfulness, ….for standing in a place of deep darkness.
Pergamum was the city where “satan had his seat”.
Jesus mentions the death of Antipas, who was the leader of the church in Pergamum.
In dreams, the demonic priests of the temple worshipping the Greek serpent god, were visited by the demons they served, who told priests that Antipas’ prayers were forcing them, the demons, out of the region.
Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum, was found guilty of not worshiping the Roman Emperor and sentenced to death on the altar of Zeus, known as the “Throne of Satan”.
On top of this Altar was a bronze bull, in which human sacrifices were made.
Antipas would have been put inside the hollow bull, then roasted alive. He died a martyr, praying for his church.
The altar to Zeus has survived through the ages and in the 19th century, engineers from Germany dismantled the ruins and took them to Berlin.
The Nazi rally ground in Nuremberg, Germany, was inspired by the altar, with Hitler’s podium in the centre, in the place of the bronze bull. It was from this podium Hitler announced his “Final Solution”
The Throne of Satan is still in Germany today, housed in the Pergamum Museum in Berlin.