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Over the centuries, a succession of empires—Greek, Persian, Roman, Byzantine and, finally, Ottoman—ruled over the city of Ephesus. Yet no matter how many times it changed hands, the city remained one of the most vibrant metropolises of the ancient world. Located on Turkey's western coast, nearly 300,000 people lived there at its height, in the second century A.D. Its busy seaport ferried goods from Asia to Greece, Italy and beyond.
Ephesus' greatest claim to fame was its temple to the goddess Artemis. One of the "seven wonders" of the ancient world, it was almost four times larger than the Parthenon in Athens. According to the New Testament, the Apostle Paul preached in Ephesus, prompting a riot led by silversmiths who crafted shrines to the goddess and feared for both their livelihoods and the future of the temple.
Today, a few columns are all that remain of the temple. But there is still much to see that evokes the city's former splendor. A three-tiered theater, built into the slope of a hill, once seated 25,000. Just outside the city stands the Church of Saint John, built in the fourth century over the evangelist's presumed tomb and expanded into a basilica some 200 years later.
Jodi Magness, an archaeologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who has visited Ephesus more than a dozen times, says the city "is almost like a snapshot in time. You get the sense of what walking down the street of a Roman city was like without having to use your own imagination."
For a history buff, this is a must visit. I lived in Turkey for 3 years and travelled most of it. Ephasus was my favorite place by far. Combine it with a trip to Pumakale from the beaches of Marmaris. It doesn't get much better than that. Do go off season - the heat can be intense. I recommend October.
Posted by Barbara on January 8,2008 | 07:12PM
More questions than a comment.Does the city of Ephesus have a current population? Does it exist as a city or merely a tourist attraction pointing to it's former splendor and glory? Thank you for any information you may provide. Ollie
Posted by Ollie Adams on May 1,2008 | 09:48AM