or Sardes, now called Sardo or Sart, is an ancient town of Natolia in Asia, about 40 miles east of Smyrna. It was much celebrated in early antiquity, was enriched by the fertility of the soil, and had been the capital of the Lydian kings. It was seated on the side of mount Tmolus; and the citadel, placed on a lofty hill, was remarkable for its great strength. It was the seat of King Croesus, and was in his time taken by Cyrus; after which the Persian Satrapas or commandant resided at Sardis as the emperor did at Sula. The city was also taken, burnt, and then evacuated by the Miletians in the time of Darius, and the city and fortresses surrendered on the approach of Alexander after the battle of Granicus. Under the Romans Sardis was a very considerable place till the time of Tiberius Caesar, when it suffered prodigiously by an earthquake. The munificence of the emperor, however, was nobly exerted to repair the various damages it then sustained. Julian attempted to restore the heathen worship in the place. He erected temporary altars where none had been left, and repaired the temples if any vestiges remained. In the year 400 it was plundered by the Goths, and it suffered considerably in the subsequent troubles of Asia. On the incursion of the Tartars in 1304, the Turks were permitted to occupy a portion of the citadel, separated by a strong wall with a gate, and were afterwards murdered in their sleep. The site of this once noble city is now green and flowery, the whole being reduced to a poor village, containing nothing but wretched huts. There are, however, some curious remains of antiquity about it, and some ruins which display its ancient grandeur. See Chandler's Travels in Asia Minor, p. 251, &c.

There is in the place a large caravansary, where travellers may commodiously lodge. The inhabitants are generally shepherds, who lead their sheep into the fine pastures of the neighbouring plain. The Turks have a mosque here, which was a Christian church, at the gate of which there are several columns of polished marble. There are a few Christians, who are employed in gardening. E. Long. 78. 5. N. Lat. 37. 51.

SARDONIUS risus, Sardonian Laughter. A convulsive involuntary laughter; thus named from the herb sardonia, which is a species of ranunculus, and is said to produce such convulsive motions in the cheeks as resemble those motions which are observed in the face during a fit of laughter. This complaint is sometimes speedily fatal. If the ranunculus happens to be the cause, the cure must be attempted by means of a vomit, and frequent draughts of hydromel with milk.