Laodicea is an ancient city located near the Lycus River valley in Anatolia, in the province of Denizli, founded by the Seleucid king Antiochus II in the third century BC in honor of his wife Laodice. The city at that time enjoyed an important position in the valley, which was a natural trade route for caravans from the Aegean Sea to the interior or vice versa, so it flourished over the centuries. Today, only some monuments remain from the city, such as stadiums, sarcophagi, and some distinctive columns that still stand tall.