Öz: The ancient city of Hierapolis is situated on the Pamukkale fault which bounds the northern margin of the Gediz graben in its south - eastern end. Hierapolis was damaged by many earthquakes in historical times but the most damaging one was in 60 AD. One of the main objective in this study is, detailed investigation of surface ruptures that damage Roman and Byzantine buildings within the ancient city of Hierapolis. Surface ruptures within and near Hierapolis can be traced along about 1250 m. Surface ruptures vary in length from 10 cm to tens of metres and they vary in width from vefew millimetres to about 1 m. There are also normal and lateral displacements along them. As a result of detailed investigation, it is concluded that these surface ruptures at Hierapolis formed during an earthquake with magnitude 6.0ruptures formed during one of 1354,1702 (1703), 1717 earthquakes. The other main objective in this study is, as this paper points out, to indicate that ancient sites which are located on active faults provide useful information for earthquake frequency, earthquake magnitude, amount of displacement during earthquake and earthquake risk in that region.