Exploring Ancient Ephesus
Ruled over the centuries by Greek, Persian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, there is much to see of the city’s former splendor
- By Helen Starkweather
- Smithsonian magazine, January 2008, Subscribe
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."
Editor's note, May 7, 2010: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect photograph for Ephesus. The page has been updated
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Comments (16)
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I am wanting to write a story of two young men slaves in the city of ephesus in the first century (aprx a.d 40-60) Would appreciate any solid imformation regarding common life in ephesus during that period. Dress, recreation, food, slaves, beliefs, morality, drugs, alcohal, etc. thank you. Mike
Posted by mike hansen on December 18,2012 | 10:25 PM
I was there last year and it is one of the highlights of my life. The amount of work the archiologists have completed is absolutely mind boggling. It was actually a priveledge to go there.
Posted by Carol Robbins on October 25,2012 | 04:04 PM
What was the peak population of ephesus during the 1st century C.E.?
Posted by quinton_narib@hotmail.com on October 13,2012 | 09:50 PM
This ancient site deserves a longer article. I will be happy to see some updates on this article but still thanks for the good information.
Posted by www.theephesus.com on July 22,2012 | 11:12 AM
A lovely article but it could be better if it was longer cuz Ephesus deserves alot more...
Posted by www.theephesus.com on June 23,2012 | 05:18 PM
Has a comment been deleted here or what? Cause surely, I don’t understand the reasons of cynicism behind the below comments.
Andreas: “Is there in Turkey something turkish or ottoman that can be admired and worth to be visited? …Ephesus is not a turkish landamark… Furthermore, it is wellknown and very famous the contribution of turkish to world culture, i still try to find it out.”
You sound very Turkish friendly Andreas, and you sure don’t sound like you’d like to strangle the first Turk that you’d see. Neither the article, nor any of the comments below claim that Ephesus is a Turkish landmark. So, what are you talking about? Also, if the contributions of the Turks to world culture as you say are “well-known and famous”, how is it that you still try to find them out then? Oh yes, I do get the sick sarcasm behind your comment. It is very civilized of you. ;)
Mimis: “Keep narrow turkish nationalism out of world heritage, please.”
And who was doing that exactly? Can you point that out please? Or did you just experience a moment of eruption there and thought that this was the perfect place and time to lay some mud on Turks? Really, who the hell said anything that deserves such a comment?
I really hope that there was a comment along the way here which got deleted, and you two are not simply filled with hatred.
Posted by Denise on December 19,2011 | 02:07 PM
Someone here wrote that Ephesos (not Ephesus) is an ancient Roman!!!! city. For God's shake! I am begging the Smithsonian.com to delete such stupid comments! Some people must stop try to create new history!First, Ephesos was an ancient Greek city! And second, the Byzantine Empire was a Greek Empire. Please, read a book!
Posted by Anargyros on August 14,2011 | 08:32 AM
Ephesus is not an ancient Roman city, but an ancient Greek one. That's why you see temple of Artemis, and not temple of Diana. Keep narrow turkish nationalism out of world heritage, please
Posted by Mimis on August 9,2011 | 07:59 AM
amazing what the ancient greeks could build
Posted by john on August 7,2011 | 09:53 PM
Is there in Turkey something turkish or ottoman that can be admired and worth to be visited? I like Greek or Byzantine culture but it is rather annoying to split up a continued whole civilation to pieces just for turistical purposes. Attalus, king of Pergamus, build as a gift to the Athenians in the agora the famous stoa that still can be seen in Athens. Ephesus is not a turkish landamark,...,efeso yes it is. This kind of turistical descriptions would be rather correct if they were writed like "Come to visit in Turkey what our neigbourhoods Greeks have build here; visit Agia Sofia, Ephesus,Pergamus, Troya, Smyrna, Konstantinopla." Whatever, it is better and more political correct to say that greek civilation expands out of country's frontiers,than to shrink and degenerate fistorical acts to phrases like "ruled by greeks",....;). Furthermore, it is wellknown and very famous the contribution of turkish to world culture, i still try to find it out
Posted by Andreas on August 6,2011 | 08:40 AM
Ephesus was an ancient greek (attic-ionian) colony, its marvellous greek temples and later grecoroman architecture is a must see.
Posted by peter on August 6,2011 | 06:27 AM
Ephesus is one of the well-known and most important ancient roman cities in the world.It is located in western Turkey, the city called Izmir.(I am from Izmir.I have been and worked in Ephesus many times as tour guide).The picture above is the Celsus Library of Ephesus which is one of the most beautiful structures of the city.Is is four time larger than the Parthenon in Athens.You can google Celsus Library of Ephesus and see more pictures of structure.The half day city tour in Ephesus takes 3-4hours.But i recommend you to see city as whole and take all day tour which also includes a tour to The House of Virgin Mary,5minutes from the ancient city of Ephesus.It is believed that Mary,the mother of Jesus was taken to that stone house by Saint John until her assumption/dormition.Marys house was visited by three popes.Due to the actions of Pope Leo XIII in 1896 and Pope John XXIII in 1961, the Catholic Church first removed plenary indulgences from the Church of the Dormition in Jerusalem and then bestowed them for all time to pilgrims to Mary's House in Ephesus.Spring and Autumn are best time to visit great city of Ephesus(do not forget!! visit a little village called Sirince which is famous for its fruit WINES,at least for few hours. You will love it:)
Posted by burcuguide on August 1,2011 | 10:12 PM
Thank you for correcting your original identification of the acropolis at Pergammon, which I sent to you when it fist appeared. However you say that the building on this page is four times the size of the Parthenon in Athens, implying that this is the temple to Artemis, which is is not. It is at Ephesus but It is what is left of the Library of Celsius.
Posted by Caroline Buckler on July 9,2010 | 08:51 AM
Seeing that the article was written nearly to years ago, you probably know it already: the picture above is not Ephesus. It´s a lovely picture of the acropolis in Pergammon. Well worth a visit too.
Posted by Clara on December 6,2009 | 08:36 AM
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