During the first millennium BC Sardis flourished as the capital of Lydia, the political and cultural pulse of Western Asia Minor. In 546 BC it was besieged by the Persians, becoming established as the western terminus of the ‘Royal Road’ to Susa. In 133 BC Sardis became part of the Roman Province of Asia. Pulpit of early Christianity, one of the ‘Seven Churches in Asia’ addressed by St John, and a consequential Byzantine bishopric until 1369, as well as a major Jewish seat of the Diaspora, the city was taken by the Arabs in 716 before passing into the hands of Turks around the 11th century. Fourth Symphony is commissioned by Crawford H Greenewalt Jr., Director of Excavations at the site (Harvard-Cornell Expedition). The five movements are I- Hermus River II- Necropol III- Acropol IV- Thousand Hills V- Tmolus Mountain
