DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4679#0068
42 11. LAODICEIA : THE GRAECO-ROMAN CITY.
way; the tailor was of small importance in ancient time, for the
weaver was also the shaper of the garment. The trade of Laodiceia,
therefore, was a trade in garments, rather than in cloth (such as
a modern woollen manufacture would produce); and hence the
weavers are dirXovpyoi (no. 8), and we find in an inscription (BCH
1887 p. 352) a seller of garments (el[iaTioTr<o\r]s). In reference to this
trade, the letter to the Church in Laodiceia says,' I counsel thee to
buy of me (not the glossy black garments of Laodiceia, but) white
garments that thou mayest clothe thyself (Rev. Ill 18). See p. 64 n 2.
The glossy black sheep seem to be now almost extinct. Wo have
not observed many black sheep, and none that seemed glossy black ;
brown and mottled sheep are commoner. Chandlerl says, ' Some
shepherds came with their flocks to the ruins. I remarked only one
or two, which were very black and glossy.' But Pococke - says,
' Strabo also takes notice that the sheep about Laodiceia are exceed-
ingly black, which is very true, three parts of them being black in all
the country from Naslee [near Mastaura] to this place, and some of
them are black and white like the Ethiopian sheep.' These observa-
tions seem to show that through carelessness the breed has been mixed
and allowed to degenerate and disappear.
§ 5. The Zexoxid Family. Strabo attributes the prosperity of
Laodiceia to two causes, the productiveness of its territory, and the
good fortune of certain of its inhabitants ; he takes no account of its
place at a knot in the road-system of the country. His second reason
seems rather strange to us; but great opportunities were opened to
fortunate individuals about that time, and these successful Laodiceans
no doubt gave liberally to their native city. Strabo mentions that
a certain Hiero had left a legacy of 2,000 talents (about £210,000) to
the state, and embellished it with many dedicatory works :). Similar
conduct is attributed by Strabo to the great family of the Zenonidai.
Zenon, a political orator of Laodiceia, encouraged the people to defend
their city, when Labienus, in alliance with the Parthian king Pacorus,
invaded Asia Minor. In reward for his successful exertions, his son
Polemon Eusebes was made by Antony king of Lj'caonia and part of
Cilicia in B.C. 39, and king of Pontus in 38 or 37. His subsequent
fortunes and that of his house, which for more than two centuries
1 Travels in Asia Minor I p. 2S4, (Nero) ; and such persons as Pythes
Oxford, 1825. (Augustus), Agrippinos (Hadrian), P.
- Description of the East II part II Aelius Dionysius Sabinianus (Anto-
p. 75. London, 1745. nines), L. Aeliua Pigres (Caraoalla), may
' Another benefactor mentioned on be added to the lirt. Addenda.
coins was Julius Andronikos tixpyir^s
way; the tailor was of small importance in ancient time, for the
weaver was also the shaper of the garment. The trade of Laodiceia,
therefore, was a trade in garments, rather than in cloth (such as
a modern woollen manufacture would produce); and hence the
weavers are dirXovpyoi (no. 8), and we find in an inscription (BCH
1887 p. 352) a seller of garments (el[iaTioTr<o\r]s). In reference to this
trade, the letter to the Church in Laodiceia says,' I counsel thee to
buy of me (not the glossy black garments of Laodiceia, but) white
garments that thou mayest clothe thyself (Rev. Ill 18). See p. 64 n 2.
The glossy black sheep seem to be now almost extinct. Wo have
not observed many black sheep, and none that seemed glossy black ;
brown and mottled sheep are commoner. Chandlerl says, ' Some
shepherds came with their flocks to the ruins. I remarked only one
or two, which were very black and glossy.' But Pococke - says,
' Strabo also takes notice that the sheep about Laodiceia are exceed-
ingly black, which is very true, three parts of them being black in all
the country from Naslee [near Mastaura] to this place, and some of
them are black and white like the Ethiopian sheep.' These observa-
tions seem to show that through carelessness the breed has been mixed
and allowed to degenerate and disappear.
§ 5. The Zexoxid Family. Strabo attributes the prosperity of
Laodiceia to two causes, the productiveness of its territory, and the
good fortune of certain of its inhabitants ; he takes no account of its
place at a knot in the road-system of the country. His second reason
seems rather strange to us; but great opportunities were opened to
fortunate individuals about that time, and these successful Laodiceans
no doubt gave liberally to their native city. Strabo mentions that
a certain Hiero had left a legacy of 2,000 talents (about £210,000) to
the state, and embellished it with many dedicatory works :). Similar
conduct is attributed by Strabo to the great family of the Zenonidai.
Zenon, a political orator of Laodiceia, encouraged the people to defend
their city, when Labienus, in alliance with the Parthian king Pacorus,
invaded Asia Minor. In reward for his successful exertions, his son
Polemon Eusebes was made by Antony king of Lj'caonia and part of
Cilicia in B.C. 39, and king of Pontus in 38 or 37. His subsequent
fortunes and that of his house, which for more than two centuries
1 Travels in Asia Minor I p. 2S4, (Nero) ; and such persons as Pythes
Oxford, 1825. (Augustus), Agrippinos (Hadrian), P.
- Description of the East II part II Aelius Dionysius Sabinianus (Anto-
p. 75. London, 1745. nines), L. Aeliua Pigres (Caraoalla), may
' Another benefactor mentioned on be added to the lirt. Addenda.
coins was Julius Andronikos tixpyir^s