Recent excavations in the Turkish ruins of Laodicea have uncovered a significant discovery: a 2,000-year-old Roman pentagonal council hall, along with early Christian symbols linked to important religious and historical sites in the Bible. The site, located in the modern Turkish province of Denizli, is noted as being mentioned multiple times in the Bible, particularly in the Book of Revelation, and is also referenced in the Book of Colossians as an early Christian community.
The discovery, reported by Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency in August, includes carvings of a cross and the Chi-Rho monogram, which are key symbols of early Christian worship. These carvings, accompanied by Greek text, suggest that the site may have been an important center of Christian activity. Additionally, the remains of a Roman theater were found, highlighting the site’s function as both a political and religious hub during the ancient Roman era.
Archaeologists believe the building, along with its unique pentagonal outer walls and hexagonal plan, dates back about 2,050 years, though the age of the Christian etchings still requires further analysis. The site also features the remnants of a Roman council building and a headless statue of the Roman emperor Trajan, indicating the site’s significance during the Roman occupation of the region.
Previous excavations at the site have revealed additional artifacts, such as a statue of a priest’s head and a sculpture of Scylla, the monster from Homer’s