Biblical city
Laodicea
Denizli, Türkiye · Roman Asia Minor
A banking center famous for black wool and an eye ointment, Laodicea piped in water that arrived lukewarm. Revelation 3:14-22 uses all three images to rebuke a self-sufficient church. Extensive excavations near Denizli have uncovered its streets, theaters, and an early church building.
An artistic reconstruction of ancient Laodicea, showing a paved forum with mosaic floors, fountains and statued pedestals, a colonnaded market street, a temple on a raised podium, a hillside theatre, and an aqueduct carrying water into the city.
User-provided artwork; creator credit not supplied.
History in Scripture
Revelation 3 rebukes a wealthy church as lukewarm, poor, blind and naked, and pictures Christ knocking at the door. Paul mentions a letter to Laodicea and prayers for the believers there.
The ancient city
Laodicea was a banking centre famous for black wool and an eye salve, but it had no good water of its own — an aqueduct brought tepid water between hot Hierapolis and cold Colossae, the image behind the rebuke.
The site today
The extensively excavated site near Denizli, Türkiye, includes two theatres, a stadium and one of the earliest known church buildings, with Pamukkale nearby.
Key passages
Sources & notes
Description summarizes standard historical and archaeological reference works. Imagery is added separately and is labeled by type.