Pergamum

Pergamum is an inland city about 65 miles north of Smyrna. It had a famous 200,000 volume library. After Ptolemy Epiphanes of Egypt (205-182 BC) cut off the export of papyrus, the researchers of Pergamum developed a paper from animal skins called parchment. This allowed Pergamum to become second only to Alexandria, Egypt in its vast library.
There were many temples in Pergamum. In fact, the great alter to Sater Zeus was considered one of the seven wonders of the world. The people of Pergamum had two main religions:

    Dionysys  - the god of the royal family symbolized by the bull.
    Asclepius - the savior god of healing represented by the snake.
                (Note: snake's involvement in healing in the Old
                       Testament, Numbers 21:6-9).


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12. "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 
       The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:
     And to the ANGEL of the church in Pergamum write:
       the ONE who has the sharp two-edged sword says
      this:
Christ is the author of this letter - Revelation 1:16.

The Lord will use His sword to fight the BALAAMites (Revelation 2:14) and the NICOLAITANS (Revelation 2:15).

This verse may allude to the fact that Pergamum under Roman control was given the rare power of capital punishment (ius gladii). This power is symbolized by the sword.
 "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 Used by permission."

References to the Revelation of Jesus Christ are in bold italics. All other references are in bold only.