The capital of the kingdom of Lydia, Sardis is situated in the Salihli town of Manisa province. Sardis was a great center for trade and commerce during the Hellenistic and the Roman eras, and under Byzantine rule it continued to hold its importance as the center of episcopacy.
At a close location are the Mounds of Bintepe which were built as tombs for the royalty and have become famous during the antiquity. Today Sardis and Bintepe are nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage list.
