About Ephesus Ancient City

Ephesus (Ancient Greek: Ἔφεσος Ephesos) was an ancient Greek city, later an important Roman city, located on the western coast of Anatolia, within the borders of the Selçuk district of today's Izmir province. It was one of the twelve cities of Ionia during the classical Greek period. Its foundation dates back to the Neolithic Age 6000 BC. Ephesus, which was included in the World Heritage Tentative List by UNESCO in 1994, was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2015.

Neolithic period

In 1996, Çukuriçi Höyük was discovered on the banks of the Derbent Stream among tangerine orchards, approximately 100 m south-west of the Selçuk, Aydın and Ephesus road triangle. As a result of the research and excavations carried out by the archaeologist Adil Evren, stone and bronze axes, needles, burnished ceramic pieces, spindle whorls, obsidian (volcanic glass) and silex (flint), shellfish, grinding and polishing tools were found in this mound. In the light of the evaluations, it was determined that there was a settlement and life in Çukuriçi Höyük from the Neolithic Period to the Early Bronze Age. The same type of material was found in the field of Gül Hanım, Arvalya Höyük, adjacent to the Arvalya Stream, approximately 8 km from the Selçuk, Kuşadası road. With the artifacts found in Çukuriçi and Arvalya (Gül Hanım) mounds, the history of the immediate surroundings of Ephesus thus reaches back to the Neolithic Period.

Today, there is nothing except for a column made up of columns demolished in place of the Temple of Artemis.
The port city of Ephesus, where immigrants from Greece started to live in the Hellenistic period 1050 BC, was moved to the vicinity of the Temple of Artemis in 560 BC. Ephesus, which is visited today, was founded by Lisimahos, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, around 300 BC. The city minted common money with the city of Apameia Kibotos, autonomously from Rome. These cities began to behave very brilliantly semi-autonomously in classical Asia Minor. Lisimahos re-establishes the city according to the “Grid Plan” found by Hippodamos of Miletus. According to this plan, all avenues and streets in the city intersect each other perpendicularly.

Roman period

Ephesus, the Roman Emperor Augustus, who lived its most glorious periods in the Hellenistic and Roman ages zaminstantly became the capital of the Province of Asia, and its population exceeded 1 at that time (2st - 200.000nd century BC). During this period, everywhere is equipped with monumental structures made of marble.

With the filling of the port in the 4th century, trade in Ephesus declined. Emperor Hadrian had the port cleaned several times. The port is filled with alluvium brought by the Marnas Stream and Küçük Menderes river coming from the north. Ephesus is far from the sea. In the 7th century, the Arabs attacked these shores. Ephesus, which moved again during the Byzantine period and came to Ayasuluk Hill in Selcuk, where it was founded for the first time, was taken by the Turks in 1330. Ayasuluk, which was the center of Aydınoğulları, started to shrink gradually since the 16th century. Today, there is Selçuk district in the region.

At the Ephesus ruins, on the frieze at the entrance of the Temple of Hadrian, the 3-year-old founding legend of Ephesus is depicted with the following sentences: Androklos, the brave son of Kodros, king of Athens, wants to explore the opposite side of the Aegean. First, he consults the oracle of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. The oracles tell him that he will establish a city where the fish and the pig point. While thinking about the meaning of these words, Androklos sails to the dark blue waters of the Aegean… When they come to the gulf at the mouth of the Kaystros (Küçük Menderes) River, they decide to go ashore. While they were cooking the fish they caught by lighting a fire, a wild boar came out of the bushes and escaped by snatching the fish. Here the prophecy has come true. They decide to establish a city here…

Ephesus, which was the main gate between East and West, was an important port city. This location enabled Ephesus to develop as the most important political and commercial center of its age and to become the capital of the province of Asia in the Roman Period. Ephesus does not owe its importance in antiquity to this alone. The largest temple of the Artemis culture based on the ancient mother goddess (Kybele) tradition of Anatolia is also located in Ephesus.

In the 6th century BC, Ephesus, which was at the forefront with Milet in science, art and culture, brought up famous people such as wise Herakleitos, dreamhouseist Artemidoros, poet Callinos and Hipponaks, grammar scholar Zenodotos, physician Soranos and Rufus.

architectural works

Since Ephesus has been displaced many times throughout its history, its ruins spread over a wide area of ​​approximately 8 kilometers. The ruins in four main regions such as Ayasuluk Hill, Artemision, Ephesus and Selçuk are visited by an average of 1,5 million tourists annually. The main buildings and artifacts in Ephesus, the first city made entirely of marble, are described below:

the House of the Virgin Mary

The Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world, is the first temple of the ancient world built of marble and its foundations date back to the 7th century BC. Built by the Lydian king Croesus, dedicated to the goddess Artemis, the building was decorated with bronze statues designed by the Greek architect Chersiphron and made by the greatest sculptors of the time, Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas and Phradmon. Its size is 130 x 68 meters and its front façade faces west like other Artemis (Mother Goddess) temples. The temple was used both as a marketplace and a religious institution. The Temple of Artemis was burned on July 21, 356 BC, by a Greek named Herostratus, who wanted to immortalize his name. That same night, Alexander the Great was born. When Alexander the Great conquered Anatolia, he offered help to rebuild the Temple of Artemis, but was refused. Only a few marble blocks have survived from the temple.

Excavations about the Temple of Artemis were initiated by archaeologist John Turtle Wood in 1863 with the contributions of the British Museum, and the foundations of the Temple of Artemis were reached in 1869 at a depth of 6 meters.

Celsus Library

The building, which is one of the most beautiful buildings of the Roman period, served as both a library and a tomb monument. When Celsius, the governor of Ephesus, died in 106, his son had the library built in his father's name as a funerary monument. Celsius's sarcophagus is under the west wall of the library. Its facade was restored between 1970-1980. In the library, rolls of books were stored in niches in the walls.

the House of the Virgin Mary

In Bulbul, it is believed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent the last years of Mary with John. It is a place of pilgrimage for Christians and was visited by some popes. Despite the fact that Mary's dead tomb is thought to be in Bülbüldağı, it is believed that Mary's tomb was in today's Silifke in the predecessor of the period, as described in the Bible.

Seven Sleepers (Companions)

This place, which was transformed into a burial church in the Byzantine period, was one of the late Roman emperors, Decius zamIt is believed that it is the cave where it is rumored that seven Christian youths fleeing from the persecution of the pagans took shelter on the skirts of Panayir Mountain. Although there are 33 cities in the world claiming that the cave is within their borders, according to most of the Christian sources, the city is Ephesus, which is considered sacred by the Christians. The most known and visited cave in Turkey as the Seven Sleepers cave is an important center of the period and St. It is in Tarsus, the birthplace of Paul. Afşin, whose old name was mentioned as Efsus in Arab sources, increased its claim with a report prepared by a committee of scientists and an exploration case they filed in the local court. The other Ashab-i Kehf in Turkey is in Lice.

A church was built on this cave in Ephesus and it was discovered in an excavation between 1927-1928, and as a result of the excavation, graves belonging to the 5th and 6th centuries were found. Inscriptions dedicated to the Seven Sleepers are found in both tombs and church walls.

Isa Bey Mosque

It was built in 1374-75 by Aydın Bey from Aydınoğulları, Ayasuluk Hill, to Architect Şamlı Dımışklıoğlu Ali. It is located between the Temple of Artemis and Saint Jean Church. The mosque, which displays the first examples of Anatolian mosque architecture, has rich decorations and tiles. It was also used as a caravanserai in the 19th century.

Temple of Hadrian: In the name of Emperor Hadrianus, the monument was built as a temple. Corinthian is organized and the legend of Ephesus was established in its friezes. The image of this temple was used with the Celsus Library on the reverse side of 20 million TL and 20 YTL banknotes.

Temple of Domitian: The temple built in the name of Emperor Domitianus, which is thought to be one of the largest structures in the city, is located opposite the Traianus Fountain. It has been determined that there are columns on the sides of the temple, the foundations of which have reached today. The remains of the statue of Domitianus are the head and an arm.

Temple of Serapis: The Temple of Serapis, one of the most interesting structures of Ephesus, is just behind the Celsus Library. The temple, which was converted into a church in the Christian era, is thought to have been built by the Egyptians. other temple is well known for more as the Temple of Serapis in Bergama by reason of the Seven Churches of Hrsitiyanlık in Turkey.

Mary's Church: The Church of the Virgin (Church of the Consultant), where the 431 Council Meeting was held, is the first church built in the name of Mary. It is located to the north of the Harbor Bath. It is among the first Seven Churches in the Christian religion.

st. Jean's Basilica: In the central part of the basilica with 6 domes, one of the largest structures of that period and built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great, at the bottom, St. It is claimed that the tomb of Jean (John) has been found, but no finds have been found yet. Here St. There is also a monument erected in the name of Jean. This church, which is considered very important for Christians, is located in Ayasuluk Castle and there is a treasury building and a baptistery in the north.

Upper Agora and Basilica: Built by Emperor Augustus, it is the place where official meetings and stock market transactions take place. It is in front of Odeion.

Odeon: Ephesus had a bicameral administration. One of these, the Advisory Council meetings zamConcerts were held in this structure, which was immediately covered. It has a capacity of 1.400 people. For this reason, the building is also called Bouleterion.

Prytaneion (Town Hall): Prytan served as the city's mayor. His biggest task was to ensure that the city fire, which symbolizes the immortality of the city, inside this building with thick columns would not go out. Prytan undertook this task on behalf of Hestia, the Goddess of the City. Statues of gods and emperors were lined up around the hall. Artemis statues in the Ephesus museum were found here and later brought to the museum. The buildings next to it were reserved for the official guests of the city.

Marble Street: It is the street that extends from the library square to the theater.

Domitian Square:To the east of the square, to the north of the Domitianus Temple, is the Pollio Fountain and a building that is thought to be a hospital, and the Memmius Monument is located on the street to the north.

Magnesia Gate (Upper Gate) and East Gymnasium: Ephesus has two entrances. One of them is the Magnesia Gate on the House of Virgin Mary, which is the eastern gate of the city walls around the city. The Eastern Gymnasium is right next to the Magnesia Gate at the foot of Mount Panayır. Gymnasion is the school of the Roman Age.

Heracles Gate: This door, which was built at the end of the Roman Age, turned Kuretler Caddesi into a pedestrian road. The God of Force on the front was named after the Heracles reliefs.

Mazeus Mitridatis (Agora South) Gate: Before the library, Emperor Augustus zaminstantly built. Through the door, one passes to the Trade Agora (Lower Agora).

Monumental Fountain: The square in front of the Odeion is the "State Agora" (Upper Agora) of the city. In the middle of it was the temple of the Egyptian gods (Isis). The Monumental Fountain, built by Laecanus Bassus in 80 BC, is located in the southwest corner of the State Agora. From here, you can reach Domitian Square and structures such as Pollio Fountain, Domitian Temple, Memmius Monument and Herakles Gate clustered around this square.

Trajan's Fountain: It is one of the two storey monuments on the street. The globe under the foot of the statue of Emperor Traianus standing in the middle symbolizes the world.

Hero: It is a fountain built in the name of Androklos, the legendary founder of Ephesus. The front part was changed during the Byzantine period.

Hillside Houses: In the multi-storey houses built on terraces, the rich of the city lived. These houses, which are the most beautiful of the peristyle house type, were in the comfort of modern houses. The walls are covered with marble cladding and frescoes, while the floor is covered with mosaics. All houses have a heating system and a hammam.

Grand Theatre: Located at the end of Marble Street, the building is the largest open air theater in the ancient world with a capacity of 24.000 people. The ornate and three-story stage building has been completely destroyed. The sitting steps have three sections. Theater, St. It was the venue for Paul's sermons.

Palace Structure, Stadium Street, Stadium and Gymnasium: The Byzantine palace and part of the street were restored. The horseshoe-shaped Stadium is the place where sporting games and competitions were held in the ancient times. Gladiator games were also performed in the late Roman period. The Vedius Gymnasium next to the stadium is a bath-school complex. Vedius Gymnasium is located at the northern end of the city, right next to the Byzantine walls.

Theater Gymnasium: The courtyard of the large building, which has both a school and a bath function, is open. Here, the marble pieces of the theater are listed for restoration purposes. Agora: It is an area of ​​110 x 110 meters in the middle, surrounded by porticos and shops. Agora was the commercial and cultural center of the city. Agora is the starting point of Marble Street.

Turkish Bath and Public Toilet: It is one of the most important social structures of the Romans. There are cold, warm and hot parts. It was repaired during the Byzantine period. Public toilet structure with a pool in the middle, the same zamIt was also used as a gathering place.

Harbor Street: Port Street (Arcadiane Street), which stretches from the Great Theater to the Ancient Port, which is completely filled today, and has marble floors on both sides, is the longest street of Ephesus. Monuments were built on the 600-meter-long street in the city's Christian era. The Four-Column Four Apostles Monument, each with a statue of one of the apostles, is almost in the middle of the street.

Harbor Gymnasium and Harbor Bath: It is a large group of buildings at the end of Liman Caddesi. Some of them have been excavated.

John's Castle: There are glass and water cisterns in the castle. It is the highest point around Ephesus. In addition, the hill where this church is located is the first settlement area of ​​Ephesus Ancient City.