Credit: Image courtesy MODIS Land Team This image, acquired by NASA’s Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Zoom out to Patmos & Cities of Apocalypse Zoom out farther to Greece Zoom way out to Lands of the Central Mediterranean Situated about 59.5 km (37 mi) west-southwest of Miletus, Patmos is an island composed of rocky, volcanic hills about 16 km (10 mi) long and 10 km (6 mi) across at its widest point. According to Tacitus, the Romans used such small islands of the Aegean Sea as places of political banishment. This fits what John himself says: “I was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). An early tradition says that the Emperor Domitian banished John to Patmos in 95 CE and that he was not released until Nerva succeeded Domitian 18 months later. Whether this tradition corresponds to what actually happened is questionable, however, because internal evidence seems to support an earlier dating for the writing of Revelation. A monastery founded in 1088 CE stands over the traditional “Cave of the Apocalypse,” where John is thought to have written his apocalypse. Want to go deeper?The following are recommended to help you look deeper into the history and archaeology of Patmos. Recommended for purchase: Steve Singleton – Overcoming: A Study Guide for the Book of Revelation (DeeperStudy.com, 2004) – Provides a brief historical background of Patmos and the seven cities of the Apocalypse, as well as a thorough introduction and brief commentary on the Apocalypse. Get digital edition and save almost 50%! Steve Singleton – Seven Letters to the Church (2006) – E-book drawn from Overcoming (see above), with additional material. Illustrated commentary on the Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia, as found in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Includes history, culture, and archaeology of the churches, plus a summary of relevance for today as well as verse by verse comments. Illustrated with drawings & color photos, including satellite images of Ephesus, Pergamum, and Laodicea. Claude E. Fant & Mitchell G. Reddish – A Guide to Biblical Sites in Greece and Turkey (Oxford, 2003). – Nearly two-thirds of the New Testament, including all the letters of Paul, most of Acts, and the Book of Revelation, are set in either Turkey or Greece. This book serves as a historical, biblical, and archaeological guide to most of these biblical sites. View excerpt Otto F. A. Meinardus – St. John of Patmos and the Seven Church of the Apocalypse (Caratzas Bros., 1979). Tom Stone – Patmos (Athens: Lycabettus, 1981). Online resources: William E. Geil – The Isle That is Called Patmos (Philadelphia: A. J. Rowland, 1896). – Provides an introduction to the history, geography, and significance of Patmos up to the close of the 19th century. Wikipedia Patmos About DS Contact DS © 2008 DeeperStudy.com | Steve Singleton, All Rights Reserved | Ephesus Satellite Image |