EPHESUS

Ancient Ephesus, the best preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean, is the place to get the feeling of life in Roman times.  It was a great trading city and a center for the cult of Cybele; under the Ionians, Cybele became Artemis and a temple was built in her honor; under the Romans, Artemis became Diana and Ephesus became the Roman capital of Asia Minor.   Despite the fame of Diana, Ephesus acquired a sizable Christian congregation. St. John settled here with Mary and St. Paul lived in the city for 3 years.  As the harbor silted up, Ephesus began to decline, but was still important enough to hold the 3rd Ecumenical Council in AD431.  By the 6th century Emperor Justinian was looking for a site to build a basilica for St. John and he chose to move the location to Ayasoluk Hill in Selcuk.

Come along for a walking tour of Ephesus...

Considered to possibly be the Tomb of St. Luke

Varius Baths at the State Agora, 2nd c AD.  Indications are in later periods that this area was used as a gymnasium.

The Odeion, or small theater, was built in 150AD and used for concerts and meetings of the advisory council.  Capacity - 1500.

The Basilica -  constructed during the period of Augustus -  statues of Emperor Augustus and his wife were found here (on display in the Museum of Ephesus)

The Prytaneion, the religious and political  center of the community.  It was the location of the central hearth or "sacred fire", representing unity of the community.

Processional Way

Memmius Monument -built 1c AD, for Gauis Memmius

Temple of Domitian and Domitian Square - built in 1c AD for Emperor Domitian.  The first temple built for an emperor.  When the people lost favor in Domitian, the temple was destroyed and the name erased from the inscriptions.

Fountain of Pollio - considered a "pompous" edifice as it stood out in the Domitian Square, was built in 97AD

Hercules Gate, marks the beginning of Curetes Street, and named after the reliefs of Hercules on the columns

Curetes Street lies between Domitian Square and the Celsus Library.  Both sides of the street were lined with statues of prominent persons, some still standing.  The paving and columns on the sides of the street were last repaired in the 4th C AD.

 

Fountain of Trajan, built in 2nd c AD and dedicated to Emperor Trajan.  A full sized statue stood in the middle of the fountain, and what remains, his giant feet, one resting on the world, suggesting that Rome was in control of the world.

Nymphaion, part of the  Fountain of Trajan.

Scholastika Baths, built in the 1st and 2nd c AD, and renamed after a Christian who remodeled them.  In their day they were 3 stories, but nothing remains of the 3rd floor today.  The tepidarium part of the baths was the spot for discussing important current events.

 

Latrina or Roman men's toilets, arranged side by side, with no partitions; there was constant running water underneath to keep it clean

Temple of Hadrian, the most attractive edifice on Curetes Street, is dedicated to Emperor Hadrian.  There is a carving of the head of Medusa, to keep the evil spirits out.

 

Remains of the "House of Love", which was thought to have been a brothel.

 

The Terrace Houses, running up the hillside, were home to rich Ephesians.  They were very plain on the outside, two stories, and very opulent on the inside, with marble, mosaics and frescoes.  They were inhabited until 7th c AD.

 

Interior of the excavation/renovation site.

Examples of the frescoes

 

Intricate mosaics

 

Water channel

Water pipe

The largest jigsaw puzzle ever.

Archaeological finds.

Hadrian's Gate, just outside the houses.

Marble Street, runs between the Celsus Library and the Grand Theater.  It was paved with blocks of marble that are well preserved to this day.

 

The Celsus Library at the end of Curetes Street, was built between 117 and 120 AD for Julian Celsus by his son as a monumental tomb.  It was discovered in excavations in 1904 and restored in the 1970's.  It was a 2 story facade with a single, large hall inside.  The statues in the niches of the facade symbolized the virtues of Celsus:  wisdom, knowledge, destiny and virtue.

 

 

The Gates of Mazeus and Mithridates, standing near the library, were built for Emperor Augustus by two freed slaves to show their gratitude.  It provides the entrance to the Mercantile Agora and Marble Way.

Mercantile Agora - ancient shopping center!  There were enterprising shops on either side of the walkway.

The Grand Theater, built in 3rd c BC on the slope of Mount Pion.  This theater held wild animal fights and gladiator games in the 3rd and 4th centuries and is the largest theater structure in Turkey, with a capacity of 24,000.

Harbor Street, runs between the Grand Theater and the then harbor.  The street was banked with rows of shops on either side.

 

Further along and to the right of Harbor Street is the Harbor Gymnasium or Constantine Baths and the Church of the Virgin Mary.  This church is famed for being the first church built for the Virgin Mary in Asia.  The Ecumenical Council of 431 was held in this church.

 

Milestones....distance markers of antiquity.  Along with the name of the town and distance, the name of the Emperor who had the road constructed or maintained was carved on the milestone.

Sort of like salmon swimming upstream.... it would have been near impossible to leave the way we came in.  Thank goodness for taxis at the other end to take us back to the parking lot.  We would pick the day when the 5 cruise ships from Kusadai were touring.