The city of Sardis has existed for over four thousand years and for much of that time it was a major metropolis. The city was defined by defense walls, but settlement extended beyond these boundaries. To the west of the city lies a large cemetery area. Within Sardis, any one area of the excavation can produce materials from different historical phases. The history, landscape, and impressive monuments have always attracted the attention of scholars and travelers. Eighteenth-century visitors recorded what remained at various ancient sites and hoped that details of the architecture would serve as models for the architecture of their own times.