The center of Roman administration of the province of Asia, Pergamum was also the source and center of emperor worship in the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar was honored with a statue as early as 63 BC. Emperor Augustus was worshiped in the precinct of Athena, and a bronze statue of the emperor (now in the Vatican Museum) was placed there in 31 BC, making Pergamum the first city in the empire to have an emperor cult.

On Caesar Augustus? birthday, the people of Pergamum worshiped him with processions, sacrifices, and a choir singing hymns in his honor. Once a year, everyone in the province was commanded to put incense on the altar of ?divine? Caesar and declare, ?Caesar is Lord.? This soon led to significant persecution of Christians, who would not make such a declaration because ?Jesus is Lord.? They refused to give the emperor honor due to God alone. Possibly the martyr Antipas mentioned in Revelation 2:13 was killed for refusing to worship the emperor. He is the only person besides Jesus who is called ?faithful? or ?true? witness in the Bible.