PHILADELPHIA
“fraternal love”.
(a) City of Lydia, in Asia Minor, founded by Attalus Philadelphus on a part of Mount Tmolus.
In the year 17 B.C. It was destroyed by an earthquake, and was soon rebuilt.
The apostle John addressed one of the letters to the seven churches of Asia to the church in this city (Rev. 1:11; 3:7-13). This letter contains only praise, as opposed to the rebukes sent to so many other churches. Philadelphia’s current name is Ala-Sheher.
(b) Hellenistic name of Rabbah of Ammon, capital of the Ammonites.