'•Laodicea is now a deserted place, called by the Turks Esli-hissar ("Old Castle"), a Turkish ^vord equiv- alent to Paled-lastro, which the Greeks so frequently apply to ancient sites. From its ruins, Laodicea seems to have been situated upon six or seven hills, taking up a large extent of ground. To the north and north-east runs the river Lycus, about a mile and a half distant ; but nearer it is watered by two small streams, the Aso- pus and Cajirus, the one to the west, and the other to the south-east, both passing into the Lj-cus, which last flows into the ]Ma?ander (Smith, p. 85). Laodicea pre- serves great remains of its importance as the residence of the Poman governors of Asia under the emperors, namely, a stadium, in uncommon preservation, three theatres, one of which is 450 feet in diameter, and the ruins of several other buildings (Antiq. of Ionia, pt. ii, p. 32 ; Chandler's Asia Minor, c. 67). Col. Leake says, " There are few ancient sites more likely than Laodicea to preserve many curious remains of aiifiijuity licncath the surface of the soil; its opulence, and the eartlujuakcs to which it was subject, rcrfdering it probable that val- ualile works of art were often there buried beneath the ruins of the public and private edilices (Cicero, Kpist. ad .■\mic.\\, 17; iii, 5; v, 20; Tacitus, y1 ?.»«/. xiv, 27). A similar remark, though in a lesser degree, perhaps, wiU apply to the other cities of the vale of the Jhcander, as well as to some of those situated to the north of 3Iount Tmolus; for Strabo (p. 579. 628, 630) informs us that Pldladelphia. Sardis. and jMagnesia of Sipyluij, were, not less than Laodicea and the cities of tlie M;\>ander as far as Apamcia at the sources of that river, subject to the same dreadful calamity (Geoffraphy of Asia Minor, p. 2.")3)" (Kitto). " Nothing," says Mr. Hamilton (Re- nearchett in Asia Minor, i, 515), " can exceed the elosola- tion and melancholy appearance of the site of Laodicea;
LAODICEA, COUXCIL OF 237 LAODICEA, COUNCIL OF
the lay persons present shall give it to each other; and that ended, the administration of the holy eucha- rist shall proceed. None except the priests shall be permitted to ap- l)roach the altar in order to commu- nicate. 20. A deacon not to sit in the presence of a priest without per- mission of the latter. The same con- duct is enjoined on subdeacons and all inferior clergy towards the dea- con. 21, 22, The subdeacon not to Undertake any of the functions of the deacon, nor touch the sacred ves- sels, nor wear a stole. 23. Forbids the same to chanters and readers.
Copper Coin ("meihillion") of Laodicea in Phrjgin, with Head of Commodus, 2-i- No one of the clergy, or of the Triumphal Figure, and name of xVsiarcli. order of ascetics, to enter a tavern.
25. Forbids the subdeacon to give no ])icturesquc features in the nature of the ground on | the consecrated bread and to bless the cup. C2. Pro- wliich it stands relieve the dull uniformity of its undu- j hibits persons not appointed thereto by a bishop from
lating and barren hills; and, with few exceptions, its gray and widely-scattered ruins possess no architectural merit to attract the attention of the traveller. Yet it is impossible to view them without interest when we con- sider what Laodicea once was, and how it is connected with the early history of Christianity." See also Fel- lows, Journal written in Asia Minor, p. 251 sq. ; Arun- dell, SeLX'ji Churches, p. 85 sq.; Schubert, Reisen, i, 282; S. Stosch, Syntagma dissert. 7 de sept, urbibus A sice in Apoc. p. 105 sq. ; also in Van Hoven, 0/ium literar. iii, p. 52; Mannert,VI, iii, 129 sq. ; Schultess, in the N.theol. Annal. 1818, ii, 177 sq. See Asia, Seven Churches of. LAODICEA, Council ok (Concilium Laodicenuni), an imi)ortant council held at Laodicea, in Phyrgia, in the 4th century. The year in which this council con- vened is disputed. Baronius and Binius assign the year 314; Pagi, 303; Hardouin places it as late as 372, and others even in 899. Hefele thinks that it must have had its session between 343 (the Council of Antioch) and 381, rather in the second than in the first half of the 4th century. Beveridge adduces some probabl' rea- sons for supposing it to have been held in 305. Thirty
meddling with exorcisms. 27. Forbids the carrying away of any portion of the agapoe. 28. Forbids the cel- ebration of the agapa;, or love-feasts, in churches. 29. Forbids Christians observing the Jewish Sabbath. 30. Forbids Christian men, especially the clergy, from bath- ing with women. 31. Forbids giving daughters in mar- riage to heretics. 32. Forbids receiving the eulogire of heretics. 33. Forbids all Catholics praj'ing with here- tics and schismatics. 34. Anathematizes those who go after the false martyrs of heretics. 35. Forbids Chris- tian persons leaving their church in order to attend private conventicles in which angels were invoked, and anathematizes those who are guilty of'this idolatry. 30. Forbids the clergy dealing in magic, and directs that all who wear phylacteries be cast out of the Church. 37. Forbids fasting with .lews or heretics. 38. Forbids receiving unleavened bread from Jews. 39. Forbids feasting with heathen persons. 40. Orders all bishops to attend the synods to \vhich they are summoned, unless prevented by illness. 41, 42. Forbids clergymen leaving the diocese to travel abroad without the bishop's per- mission and the canonical letters. 43. Forbids the por-