Ephesus
Ancient Greek city on the Ionian coast, home to the Temple of Artemis and a 24,000-seat theatre.
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century BC on the site of Apasa, a city-state that was also the capital of Arzawa, by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. During the Classical Greek era, it was one of twelve cities that were members of the Ionian League. The city came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC.
- Location
- Near Selçuk, Turkey
- Primary Deities
- Artemis, Zeus, Apollo
- Major Historical Periods
- Greek, Roman, Byzantine
- Key Landmark
- Temple of Artemis (ruined), Library of Celsus
Lore & Background
The city was famous in its day for the nearby Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), which has been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its many monumental buildings included the Library of Celsus and a theatre capable of holding 24,000 spectators. Ephesus was a recipient city of one of the Pauline epistles and one of the seven churches of Asia addressed in the Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written there, and it was the site of several 5th-century Christian Councils (Council of Ephesus). The city was sacked by the Goths in 263. Although it was afterwards rebuilt, its importance as a port and commercial centre declined as the harbour was slowly silted up by the Küçükmenderes River. In 614, it was partially destroyed by an earthquake.
In Their Own Story
The sun beats down on the marble steps of the Odeon, heating the stone until it hums. A figure in a rough woolen tunic pauses beside a column, brushing away centuries of dust to reveal a carving of a lion clutching a bull. The air smells of dry thyme and ancient salt, though the sea is miles away now. In the distance, the silhouette of the Temple of Artemis exists only as a memory in the mind of the traveler, replaced by a single standing column that pierces the sky like a broken finger pointing to heaven. Here, silence speaks louder than the roar of the crowds who once filled this valley with the noise of commerce and prayer.
Reader's Guide
Today, the ruins of Ephesus are a favourite international and local tourist attraction, being accessible from Adnan Menderes Airport and from the resort town Kuşadası. In 2015, the ruins were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Did You Know?
- The theatre at Ephesus could hold 24,000 spectators.
- The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
- Ephesus was sacked by the Goths in 263.
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