Geç antik çağ’da Laodikeia

Abstract

Excavations have been conducted at the ancient city of Laodikeia uninterruptedly since 2003 and have brought to light immense quantity of data regarding the ancient city. The history of the settlement goes back to 5500s BC and continues to the seventh century AD, during which it was called Rhoas, Diospolis, and Laodikeia respectively; then it came to be called Ladik by Turks and today it is Denizli. Designed on the systematic grid plan the city assumed the identity of a polis as of the Hellenistic period. The vivid urban life during the Hellenistic and Roman Imperial periods is best attested at the baths and connected agorae, followed by the stadium and theatres, and finally at the sanctuaries. With Paul’s missionary trips in the first century AD Christianity spread in the cities of the Lycos Valley. The wealth of these cities obtained by overseas commercial relations via the River Meander stands forth. When Apostle Philip was martyred and interred together with his daughters at nearby Hierapolis in AD 80 and the wealth of Laodikeia conveyed the region to a point of attraction for Christendom. Thus, Laodikeia became one of the Seven Churches of the book of Revelation and became an important site of pilgrimage. In addition to architectural remains uncovered in the course of excavations the high number of small finds such as ampullae and unguentaria supports this opinion. Christianity spread more easily thanks to the Jewish community of the city. The first Christians gathered frequently and prayed in house-churches. Following the Edict of Milan issued in AD 313 churches were built across the city and the main one of them is the Church of Laodikeia in the centre. Tangible data uncovered by excavations has allowed us to understand how the Christian neighbourhoods expanded while pagan quarters shrank, finally disappearing entirely. Almost all of the churches in the city date to the fourth-fifth centuries AD; therefore, their plan layouts are of importance for casting light onto the church architecture of the concerned period. The regional Church council, which was held at Laodikeia about the middle of the fourth century and had universal impact, has an important place in the Christian identity of the city. Laodikeia was an important Christian centre during the fourth-fifth centuries AD and thus, lived through its second Golden Age, which ended with the earthquake in AD 494. The city was entirely abandoned in the early seventh century when another earthquake hit during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Focas (r. 602-10).