Reflections on the City of the Dead

Not far from the modern city of Pamukkale, Turkey, the ruins of Hierapolis nestle among the hills of a rocky ridge towering over a broad plain. Shining white limestone formations guard the entrance to the old city, like prostrate skeletons. Even today, the ruins are extensive, featuring miles of walls and all the trappings of a well-established Roman colony, including an impressive amphitheater. But it was the hot springs of Hierapolis that put this city on the map, drawing pleasure seekers from far and wide, looking to relax in the numerous Roman baths and gymnasiums.

Modern tourists can wade in warm mineral water before it runs down the steep slope, further adding to the limestone deposits. They might take a selfie with a backdrop of the stunning view before drying their feet off and loading back up on their bus to see the next ancient ruin. Many of the visitors back then were like those tourists, coming for a pleasure outing but returning home after a short stay. But ancient Hierapolis also attracted a different sort of person: those for whom the hot springs represented their last, best hope.

A place of miracles?

The word Hierapolis means “holy city.” Not surprisingly, medicine carried spiritual overtones back in those days. Many who came to the city were seriously ill. And they had exhausted all other options. Without divine intervention, they faced certain death. So, in addition to the centers for medicine scattered throughout the city, a temple for Apollos, the Roman god of healing, occupied a prime location. Desperate people would add sacrifices and prayers to their quest for restoration.

The City of the Dead

Besides all this, Hierapolis boasts another surprise. Carved into surrounding hills, archeologists have uncovered a vast array of tombs. They can be found everywhere, but especially to the north of the city. Local inhabitants called this macabre gathering a Necropolis: a city of the dead. Hierapolis boasted a much higher concentration than other ancient cities of similar size. People came to the holy city for healing, but instead became permanent residents of a different kind of city. Sadly, the hot springs didn’t really help. Neither did the prayers and sacrifices to Apollo – or any other Roman deity for that matter.

The world has changed much since the 2^nd century B.C. Our lives have improved drastically through knowledge of the world around us. We no longer follow rumors of healing waters or pagan sacrifices in a desperate attempt to extend our lives. Instead, we put our faith in modern medicine. And it seems to be working: human lifespans have continued to increase over the centuries. But for all that, the human condition remains strikingly similar.

Not so different after all

Consider the parallels between our day and the time of ancient Hierapolis. First of all, we still encounter illness that we can’t heal. In spite of all our advances in medicine, there are countless obstacles that we can’t overcome. Cancer. Heart disease. Strokes. Organ failure. We humans never just die of old age. We die from some kind of disease that eventually catches up to us. For all of our boast of ever-increasing lifespans through medical achievement, the reality is that we still can’t outrun death.

Trying everything to avoid death

But we try. And try. And try. It’s a human trait. Like the people of old, we do everything in our power to beat the odds. We just have more legitimate options to try in our modern world. Another round of medication. Another surgery. Another treatment. And then a clinical trial. We are far too progressive to relocate to a mineral hot spring and offer sacrifices to Apollo. But even then, we still can’t outrun death. The heavily populated Necropolis of Hierapolis stands as a potent reminder for those who have a heart to receive the lesson.

A different outlook

And of all people, those who know Christ should already have taken this lesson to heart. We can certainly take advantage of modern medical advancements to improve the quality of our lives and to lengthen our life-spans. These are good gifts from God and should be appreciated as such. But we should be quick to acknowledge the limitations of these treatments. We know that we can’t ultimately outrun death. But we also know that we don’t need to – because Jesus faced death for us. Desperate attempts to escape this final reality are superfluous. We don’t have to try to squeeze every possible drop out of life because we already possess eternal life. This gives us an opportunity to demonstrate a different outlook – and a better one.

From the archeological evidence, it seems that there was a Christian presence in Hierapolis from the first century on. Tradition holds that Phillip the Evangelist spent time there. The small Christian population grew and was renewed – through at least the Byzantine era. By God’s grace, we can hope that the believers there intervened “as dying men to dying men” to those who put their faith in the miracles of modern medicine. As we should do in our age.