Romantic City Dedicated to Laodica

Overview

If you have made or are planning a trip to Turkey, you are at the right place. We welcome you from Istanbul and prepare the tour plan you want with our wide variety of turkey tour packages. In this article, I will mention you about Leodikya, one of the important settlements of Pamukkale region. Let’s get informed with our preliminary information article for the best-guided tours from Istanbul to Pamukkale.

History of Laodica

Laodicea is an ancient city located within the Lycus River Valley of Anatolia, near Hierapolis and Colossae, in Denizli province. It had been founded within the 3rd century BC by Seleucid King Antiochus II in honor of his wife, Laodicea . The town was in Phrygia, bordering with Caria, and hold a crucial location at the valley which was a natural caravan trade route from the Aegean to inland or contrariwise, therefore it prospered throughout the centuries.

In 188 BC it became an element of the dominion of Pergamon and shortly fell into the Roman rule out 133 BC. In 60 BC it had been leveled by a strong earthquake during the reign of Nero on the other hand it had been rebuilt. Especially at the start of 2nd century AD so 3rd century AD, during the reigns of Roman emperors Hadrian and Caracalla, the town lived its hey-days again. It became a crucial center of woolen and cotton products in addition as rich commerce and humanities.

The Importance of Laodica

During the Byzantine period Laodicea became a vital center of Christianity and one in every of the Seven Churches of Revelation, turning town into a archbishopric. Apparently Laodicea received the gospel not from Saint Paul but from his helper Epaphras during the time Paul was in Ephesus. within the 4th century Apollinaris of Laodicea proposed the speculation later called as “Apollinarianism”, which was considered heretical by the Catholic Church.

By the top of 5th century AD another powerful earthquake destroyed town, after which town lost its importance and will never come back to to its former good days. town has never been rebuilt after this natural disaster, and its inhabitants moved to nearby cities like Denizli.

Initial excavations at Laodicea were distributed within the beginning of 1960’s during which the nymphaeum (monumental fountain) and parts of the aqueducts were found. After this no excavations were made for several years until recently. Today, after you get to the archaeological site you’ll notice an outsized stadium (355 meters x 65 meters) dedicated to Vespasian and inbuilt 79 AD, variety of sarcophagi within the necropolis at the opposite side of the river bed, two large amphitheaters, an odeon, a gymnasium, a triple-arched gateway dedicated to Domitian, an early 3rd century AD nymphaeum, a cistern and also the aqueduct.