Nov / Dec 2008
Magazine

Ephesus is the site of a succession of many civilizations on the south-west coast of what is today

Curetes Street was lined with fountains, monuments, statues and shops. It was damaged by several earthquakes, but still retains its 4th century appearance. Photo-C. McMullen

Ephesus, treasured for its ancient ruins, is a wonderful step back in time, deep in rich history of different periods dating back to 10 B.C. Located only 16 miles from Kusadasi, Ephesus remains one of the best preserved ancient cities even though much of it still is under excavation and only partially exposed.

(left - The Statue of a many breasted Artemis was the symbol of the Temple of Artemis, but also of abundance, hunting and wild life.)

Reportedly founded by Amazons, the original site was located near the mouth of the Cayster River where it flows into the Aegean sea, what today is west Turkey. In the second half of the 14th century, Greeks came to Anatolia; they called themselves Ionian. The Ionian city quickly established its importance as a commercial centre.

In the 7th century, Lydians captured Ephesus, building a shrine and a new layout of the city in the surrounding area. Later, in the century 550 B.C. a temple was built for a native nature goddess, who was equated with the Greek Artemis. In 466 Ephesus joined the Attaic Sea alliance. It passed to the Persian Empire and in the 4th century B.C. the Artemis Temple was burned down. Alexander the Great captured Ephesus in 334, giving Greek cities privileges to build a new temple.

The city continued to thrive during the wars of many successors, finally passing (133) to the Romans and becoming the leading city of the province of Asia. The great temple of Artemis was built with such riches it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

From century 100 B.C. to century A.D. 100, Ephesus practiced in the slave trade. The Ephesians welcomed the king of Pontus, Mithridates VI Eupathor, as savor, and under his rule 80,000 Romans were killed. In 41 B.C., Mark Antony entered Ephesus with Cleopatra of Egypt.

After the birth of Christ, an earthquake caused damage to Ephesus in 23 A.D. In 262, another earthquake hit destroying the Artemis Temple.

Ephesus was a port city that thrived with shops, homes, a library, and water system that provided running water for the residents (remarkably modern for its time). It featured the Odeion Theatre, the Market Basilica, Curetes Street, Bath, Celsus Library, Marbel Street and the Great Theatre that had a capacity seating for 25,000 people.

Around 654 Arabs attacked Ephesus and in 1300 it fell to Turkish domination.

In 1307, the River Caystros was silted up leaving Ephesus much farther inland, and the ports of Izmir and Kusadasi becoming more important in sea-trade.

The remains of these temples are typical of architecture found in buildings in Greece and Asia Minor. Photo-C. McMullen

Ephesus was eventually abandoned. Excavations have brought to light many ruins, including Roman and Byzantine remains. In 1863 through 1874, the British railway engineer J. T. Wood came and dug in Ephesus. In 1904, D.G. Hogarth excavated on behalf of the British Museum, and since 1995 Austrian archaeologists continue to work with a Turkish team.

(Photoleft) The Library of Celsus, whose façade has been carefully reconstructed from all original pieces, was built ca. AD 125 by Gaius Julius Aquila in memory of his father, and once held nearly 12,000 scrolls.