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Ancient Thyatira, one of the Seven Cities of the Apocalypse, is entirely covered by the modern city of Akhisar, Turkey, with a 2007 population of more than nearly 98,000. Although archaeological evidence demonstrates human occupation of the site as early as 3000 BCE, the biblical citiy was refounded near the end of the fourth century BCE by Seleucus I Nicator, one of the successors of Alexander the Great. By at least 189 BCE, Thyatira became part of the Attlid kingdom of Lydia, serving as a military outpost guarding the road to Pergamum. In 133 BCE, when Attalus III, the last king of the dynasty died heirless, he bequeathed to the Romans his entire kingdom, including Thyatira.

According to inscriptions found at the site, Thyatira had trade guilds for a number of industries, including coppersmiths, tanners, leatherworkers, dyers, wool workers, and linen workers. Inscriptions also reveal that the city had three gymnasiums, a colonnaded portico with 100 columns, an agora, and several pagan temples, including its patron god Apolo Tyrimnaeus.

Thyatira is mentioned in two books of the New Testament. In Acts, the Apostle Paul while in Philippi converts Lydia, a businesswoman from Thyatira engaged in selling purple cloth, the manufacture of which was one of Thyatira's industries (Acts 16:14).

In Revelation 2:18-29, Christ addresses the church in Thyatira, praising its love, faith, service, and patient endurance (v. 19), but criticizing one woman of the congregation whom He calls "Jezebel." This symbolic name is comparing the self-proclaimed prophetess to the Old Testament princess of Sidon and wife of Ahab who introduced Baal worship to the northern kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 16:31 - 2 Kings 9:37). The Thyatiran "Jezebel's" sins include encouraging Christians to eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality (Rev. 2:20,22).

An excavation conducted in downtown Akhisar from 1969 to 1971 (Tepemezari) uncovered a 100-meters-long colonnaded street leading up to a monumental entrance and a large civic basilica (40 m. × 10 m. or 140 ft. × 30 ft.), probably dating from the fifth or sixth century CE. Nearby, on the grounds of what is now the State Hospital, is a small hill assumed to be the ancient city's acropolis. A Hellenistic sarcophagus is on display there. Not far away is the Ulu Camii (Great Mosque), the oldest mosque in Akhisar. Its building has only been a mosque since the 1400s. Before that it was probably a Byzantine church, and even earlier another civic building, converted from an even earlier Roman temple.

A small archaeological museum stands adjacent to the Tepemezari site, but many other the other finds from ancient Thyatira are in the archaeological museum of Manisa, about 48 km (30 mi.) southeast of Akhisar.

A major source for this introduction is Fant and Reddish's guide (see below), 328-331.