Laodicea on the Lycus

Laodicea on the Lycus (Greek Λαοδίκεια πρὸς τῷ Λνκῶ; Latin Laodicea ad Lycum; Ottoman Ladik, in the form of German and Laodicea ) was an ancient city in Phrygia, 6 km north of the present Denizli, 10 km south of Hierapolis, on the river Lycus (now Çürüksu Çayı ), a tributary of the meander.

History

Instead of an earlier settlement called Diospolis Laodicea was founded by Antiochus II 261-253 BC and named after his wife Laodice. In Roman times, the city center was a judicial district ( conventus ) of the province of Asia and was regarded as an economic center. Marcus Tullius Cicero was in his year as proconsul in Cilicia 51/50 BC, among others responsible for the jurisdiction of the eight judicial districts of his province. To this end he held from 13 February to 15 March of the year 50 BC in Laodicea.

In the 1st century AD, Laodicea was twice under the emperors Tiberius and Nero, devastated by earthquake, but recovered from its own forces again. In Roman times, Laodicea was an important cotton -growing region. Laodicea is near (8 km) to the Spa of Hierapolis ( now Pamukkale ). So the city survived by spa guests and pilgrims (which the healing waters regarded as sacred ) and was very rich. Due to the special composition of the thermal waters of Pamukkale, a special eye ointment was prepared in Laodicea. A certain red plant root could be diluted with water and then this color purple black fabrics. So more and more purple substances in the Roman Empire were made in Laodicea, eg the crimson sails of Cleopatra. The elaborate coloring of materials with Syrian Snails got an alternative, so that Laodicea soon became the Purpurstoffabrik the Roman Empire.

Beginning of the 4th century Laodicea Metropolis was the province of Phrygia Pakatiane. 363-364, the Council of Laodicea was held there. In Middle Byzantine period Laodicea was the subject of Thrakesion, had after an earthquake in the year 494 but lost all meaning.

After the conquest Laodikeias in the 12th century by the Seljuk Turks, the inhabitants were resettled after the later of Denizli. Denizli has been designated by the Ottomans as Denizli Ladik, as it was often called to distinguish it from the old Ladik ( Laodicea ).

Archeology

Laodicea is located on a low hill, on the northeastern slope of two theaters were located, of which parts of the seat rows are preserved. In the south of the city was a large stadium, which was built in the time of Vespasian; a building nearby was probably a Badanlage. The building was created in the 3rd century Nymphaeum in the center of the city was probably endpoint of an aqueduct that led from south to Laodicea.

In excavations by the University Denizli headed by Celal Şimşek one of the oldest Christian churches has been exposed in recent years. On the floor area of ​​2000 square meters remains have been found of mosaics and frescoes and coins, which point to a date in the early 4th century. The inset in the base font with stairs on two sides allowing mass baptisms. Once the process of securing work the church in 2012 for visitors to be made accessible.

Laodicea in the New Testament

Laodicea is the New Testament in Colossians ( 2:1; 4,13.15.16 ) and in the Apocalypse of John ( 1:11; 3:14) mentioned as the seat of a Christian community.

The Epistle to the Colossians (Col. 4:16) mentions a us not surviving Epistle of Paul to the church at Laodicea. This message probably owes its origin to the so-called Laodizenerbrief who encounters around the middle of the 6th century in some Latin manuscripts within the Pauline Epistles ( Pauline corpus ).

The Epistle to the Christian church in Laodicea was a special letter, the seventh and final epistle of John's Revelation ( 3:14-22 ) to the seven churches. The church is the only one who can get no praise the missive. Your own self-assessment, to be rich and have no need, this is in stark contradiction to the judgment of Christ and the note contained in any material weaknesses: to be poor and miserable, poor, blind and naked ( 3:17). It thus requires the Council ( 3:18), " gold tried " to buy ( an allusion to the flourishing business of the city, golden figures on pilgrimage to sell, who sacrificed them in Hierapolis to recover by water from Pamukkale ), " white robes " ( an allusion to the immense production of [ purple ] textiles) and" ointment " for the eyes ( an allusion to the fact that citizens indeed sell eye ointment, but have still not recognized the most important thing ). This compilation ( cf. Ezek 16, 8-13) is mgl. a current reference to the economic importance of the city here. In the biblical and symbolic language is gold tried to read as a reference to passed trials, the white garments (Rev 3.4, 7.14 ) as a symbol of fidelity, purity and forgiveness, but also for baptism and repentance associated, the eye ointment as the overcoming of spiritual blindness. In addition to these prompts the Laodiceern is accused of being neither hot nor cold but lukewarm, ie inedible, also an allusion to the warm baths of Pamukkale, who owed the city a big part of their wealth.