Is Hell's Gate 166.6 Miles From Where Satan Dwells?

Is Hell's Gate 166.6 Miles From Where Satan Dwells?

A recent archaeological discovery in Turkey may be shedding new light on certain passages from the Revelation of Jesus Christ as recorded by John in the Bible.  As background, the ancient city of Hierapolis (Greek for Sacred City) was known for its pagan temples and attracted a large number of religious tourists.  Newly discovered is the Plutonion or Hell's Gate which was known only by the writings of ancient historians.  Is it possible that this is the opening to the bottomless pit or abyss written about in Revelation chapter 9?

According to Discovery News

A “gate to hell” has emerged from ruins in southwestern Turkey, Italian archaeologists have announced. Known as Pluto's Gate -- Ploutonion in Greek, Plutonium in Latin -- the cave was celebrated as the portal to the underworld in Greco-Roman mythology and tradition. Historic sources located the site in the ancient Phrygian city of Hierapolis, now called Pamukkale, and described the opening as filled with lethal mephitic vapors.

Hell's Gate after excavation

“This space is full of a vapor so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground. Any animal that passes inside meets instant death,” the Greek geographer Strabo (64/63 BC -- about 24 AD) wrote.  “I threw in sparrows and they immediately breathed their last and fell,” he added.

Announced this month at a conference on
Italian archaeology in Istanbul, Turkey, the finding was       made by a team led by Francesco D'Andria, professor of classic archaeology at the University of Salento. D'Andria has conducted extensive archaeological research at the World Heritage Site of Hierapolis. Two years ago he claimed to discover there the tomb of Saint Philip, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. Founded around 190 B.C. by Eumenes II, King of Pergamum (197 B.C.-159 B.C.), Hierapolis was given over to Rome in 133 B.C.

A digital reconstruction of the Plutonion

http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/gate-to-hell-found-in-turkey-130329.htm                                                    Photo Gallery

http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/hells-gate-130329-pictures.htm

According to archaeologists, the gate was presided over by the eunuch priests of the mother goddess Cybele. They were the only ones that would enter the Plutonion. Above the Plutonion there was a temple to the Greek god, Apollo who was the principle god of Hierapolis. The Greek etymology of the name Apollo is from the word meaning to destroy. Having a gate to Hell belching out toxic gas so near to a temple to Apollo immediately brings to mind Revelation chapter 9.

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. Revelation 9:1-3 KJV

and

And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. Revelation 9:11 KJV

Jesus had his apostle, John, deliver seven letters to seven churches that were all in Asia Minor. One of the churches was in Pergamon. According to the letter Pergamon was where Satan dwelled.

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. Revelation 2:12-13 KJV

The Great Altar of Pergamon, on display in the Pergamonmuseum in Berlin, Germany

Pergamon is near the modern city of Bergama and Hierapolis is near the modern city of Pamukkale. So I checked with Google to see just how far this city of Satan's seat is from the newly discovered Hell's gate. The answer 166.6 miles.

Other sources for the information in this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierapolis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pergamon