Archaeologists searching for the Laodicea Temple in Nahavand have uncovered remnants of the Seleucid, Parthian, and Islamic periods (Ilkhanid dynasty).
According to ISNA, speculations and excavations followed in four seasons in 2005, 2011, 2012, and 2009. Due to the dense construction in the neighborhood of “Two Sisters,” which is also one of the slums of Nahavand, the excavation team faced many problems, including choosing a suitable place for speculation to look for Laodicea Temple.
The archaeologist pointed to the continuation of excavations in the fifth and sixth chapters and the results of six excavation chapters in this historical site to reach Laodicea Temple and said: These six seasons of exploration gave us some clues.
The head of the archeological team said that the search for the Laodicea Temple is continuing and expressed hope that this discovery will be more promising.
Laodicea is known as the lost city of the Seleucids, whose discovery reveals the secrets of this historical dynasty.
In 1943, an inscription in Greek script discovered from the neighborhood of Nahavand showed that Nahavand was called “Laodicea” during the Seleucid period and had a temple of the same name.
The cities that historians and writers mention from the time of Alexander and his successors in Iran and other occupations are called Alexandria, Apamea, Antioch, Laodicea, etc but no other information is available about these cities.
One of the characteristics of Greek cities was the presence of temples, stadiums, theaters, and agoras (places of trade and public gatherings).
“I would like to draw your attention to the fact that all parts of the ancient site of Nahavand have been demolished under the pretext of providing soil and stone for new buildings. At the same time, the new city of Nahavand has quickly covered up the Hellenistic monuments, including the Laodicea Temple,” Grishman said.
The historic site and area of the Two Sisters, where they estimate Laodicea Temple to be located, is listed as a cultural heritage site in Iran.