Just a few kilometres away from Stratonicea lies the ancient cult site of Lagina, one of the most significant Carian sanctuaries. The establishment of the sanctuary at Lagina as a religious centre dates back to the Seleucid period, although evidence from the necropolis suggests that the settlement’s origins date back to the 7th century BC. An 11-kilometre-long road known as the Sacred Way connected these two sites.

Coordinates: 37° 22′ 42.83″ N, 28° 2′ 21.94″ E

The deity worshipped at the sanctuary was the goddess Hecate. She was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, the moon, ghosts and necromancy. In statuary, Hecate was often depicted in triple form, with three bodies or three heads. She was also associated with crossroads and entranceways. Numerous festivals were celebrated at the site, during which a procession delivered the temple’s key from Lagina to the bouleuterion in Stratonicea, where the rules for the religious celebrations of Hecate were inscribed.

The sculptural decorations that once adorned the temple are now displayed in the Archaeology Museum in Istanbul. These decorations covered all four sides of the building. They depicted various scenes, including episodes from Zeus’s life, the battle of the gods and giants (Gigantomachy), the legendary conflict between the Ancient Greeks and the Amazons (Amazonomachy), and scenes from Carian mythology.