Overview
- Archaeologists in Denizli, Turkey documented a large bouleuterion dated to around 50 BC that served as Laodicea’s political and judicial center.
- The council hall seated roughly 800 people, with benches inscribed to denote citizens, elders, youths and officials.
- Recorded carvings include a cross, a Chi‑Rho monogram and Greek text etched into the ancient stonework.
- Researchers suggest the symbols were added centuries after construction, possibly between the second and fourth centuries, though precise dating and interpretation remain under study.
- Laodicea, cited in Revelation and Colossians, also yielded a headless statue of Emperor Trajan and theater remains, underscoring the city’s Roman-era prominence.