Only 8km from Pamukkale, Laodicea was a prosperous commercial city straddling two major trade routes, famed for its black wool, banking and medicines. Cicero lived here for a time before Mark Antony had him liquidated, and large Jewish and Orthodox Christian populations co-existed here. Today, the columns standing in the long grass have good views of the travertines.
The spread-out ruins indicate Laodicea was once big. Entering up Syria Street , the colonnaded main drag, look out for second-century temple , its columns built with travertine blocks and a glass floor showing toppled pillars beneath. See also the stadium outlines and remains of two theatres ; upper-tier seats remain in the second. By the agora and baths are ruins of the basilica church mentioned in Revelations, where Laodicea is listed as among the Seven Churches of Asia.
