evidence to show that Laodicea was known for its banking, its woollen industry and its medical school which specialized in opthalmics.4 This would be something of a coincidence if John had no knowledge of Laodicea. To Thyatira, the only one of the seven known to have had a guild of coppersmiths, the divine speaker is described as having eyes like a ‘flame of fire’ and feet like ‘burnished bronze’. The actual word rendered ‘burnished bronze’ is χαλκολίβανος (χαλκός = copper, λίβανος = frankincense),