Stephanos of Byzantium - Ethnika
Laodikeia: a city in Syria, formerly called Leuke Akte, and before that Rhamitha; for a shepherd who was struck by lightning there said ‘rhamanthas’, that is, ‘the god from on high’: ‘rhaman’ means height, and ‘athas’ god. Thus Philo. It is named after Laodike, the mother of Seleukos Nikator. It is exceedingly rich in wine and replete with every kind of fruitfulness. There is also another in Lydia, a foundation of Antiochos, the son of Stratonike; for his wife’s name was Laodike. A message from Zeus through Hermes, in a dream, by an oracle of Apollo:
To King Antiochos Phoibos Apollo declares this: To found a glorious city, as Zeus who thunders on high commanded, sending Hermes the Helper.
There is also another in Lykaonia, and another in Media.
AI translation — gpt-5.6-sol; Gabe v3
Stephanos excerpt (left) is aligned with matched Herodian passages (right). Colors indicate corresponding overlap spans.
Λαοδίκεια, πόλις τῆς Συρίας, ἡ πρότερον Λευκὴ ἀκτή λεγομένη καὶ πρὸ τούτου Ῥάμιθα κεραυνωθεὶς γάρ τις ἐν αὐτῇ ποιμὴν ἔλεγε “ῥαμάνθας”, τουτέστιν ἀφ´ ὕψους ὁ θεός· ῥάμαν γὰρ τὸ ὕψος, ἄθας δὲ ὁ θεός. οὕτως Φίλων. λέγεται δὲ ἀπὸ Λαοδίκης τῆς μητρὸς Σελεύκου τοῦ Νικάτορος. ἔστι δ´ εὐοινοτάτη καὶ πάσης εὐ…
…ς Ἑλλάνικος πρώτῳ Δευκαλιωνείας. ἔστι δὲ καὶ Ἀγάθεια πόλις Λιγύων ἢ Κελτῶν, παραγωγὴ τῆς Ἀγάθης ὡς Βερενίκεια καὶ Θεσσαλονίκεια. Ἰόπεια πόλις Φοινίκης, ἣ καὶ Ἰόπη. λέγεται καὶ Ἰοπία διὰ τοῦ 'ι' καὶ ἴσως ἐκ τοῦ Αἰθιοπία. Λαοδίκεια πόλις τῆς Συρίας ἡ πρότερον Λευκὴ ἀκτὴ λεγομένη καὶ πρὸ τούτου Ῥάμιθα, ὡς Φίλων. ἔστι καὶ ἑτέρα Λυδίας· ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλη Λυκαονίας. καὶ Μηδίας ἑτέρα. λέγεται δὲ κατὰ παραγωγὴν ἐκ τῆς Λαοδίκης ὡς Ἀπάμη Ἀπάμεια Συρίας πόλις ἀπὸ Ἀπάμας τῆς Σελεύκου μητρός. ἔστι καὶ ἄλλη ἐν τῇ Μεσηνῶν γῇ «τῷ …