Editing Lydia (section)

==== Judaism ====
The first [[Jews]] in Lydia were set up by [[Antiochus III the Great|Antiochus III]] in the wake of a revolt in Lydia and Phrygia from 209-204 BC and consisted of 2000 Jewish families who lived in military settlements in Lydia and Phrygia. Each of these families was given land where they would build a house the cultivate the rest as farmland, they would also be given a 10 year tax exemption and have their basic needs provided for them by the government to help them establish themselves.  One they were established the Jews of Lydia were given special autonomy to practice [[Judaism]] and the Lydian settlements became the epicenter of Judaism across Asia Minor.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Encyclopaedia Judaica |edition=2nd |volume=13 |pages=295-296 |language=en}}</ref>

Lydia remained under the control of the [[Seleucid Empire|Selucids]] until the [[Battle of Magnesia]] in 190 BC when it was given to king [[Eumenes]] of Pergamum. in 133 BC [[Attalus III]] bequeathed the kingdom to the Romans. With most information about Lydian Jews coming from the Roman Era, with many documents about the Jewish community in Sardis having been found. During this time the Jews still had the right to live according to Jewish law and be judged under [[Halakha|Halachic Law]]. During this time every Jew in Lydia was expected to give 1/2 a [[shekel]] to the [[Second Temple]], and this was controversial among the general population who resented the Jews sending money to a foreign power. <ref name=":0" />

In the 1960s the ancient synagogue in Sardis was discovered.<ref name=":0" />