Ephesus
World’s second largest city in the 1st C BC with the population of 250.000, the city of Ephesus has been located at different places in different times by different peoples.
Ephesus I was located on Ayasuluk Hill and inhabited by ancient Anatolians, Carians and Lelegians.
Ephesus II was on the North slope of Panayır Dagi (Mt. Pion). It came to be ruled by Croesus of Lidia in the mid 6th C BC as with other cities of the Agean Coast of Anatolia then past to the Persians in 546 BC. It joined the Delian League after the Persian wars. In 334 BC it fell to Alexander the Great and to his successors, Lysimachus and Seleucid rulers.
Ephesus III was located between Panayır and Bülbül mountains. It was moved to this location by Lysimachus in the 4th C BC. Later it was controlled by Pergamon eventually passing into Roman hands in 133 BC.
Ephesus IV was located on Ayasuluk Hill due to the persisting silting up of the harbor and Arab invasions.
Ephesus, an important tourism center in Turkey today, used to be the most important commercial center of the ancient world and a religious center of the early christianity.
The city of Ephesus was founded by Androclus, the son of King Codrus of Athens in the 10th C BC. According to legend, he had to leave Athens after the death of his father. As it was costumary at the time to consult the oracle before making important decisions, he went to the oracle of Delphy to ask her where to found a new settlement. Following the prediction of the oracle they decided to setle at the place where they were lead by a fish and a wild boar.
Lydians conqured Ephesus in the year 560 BC but only 13 years after that the city past under the rule of Persians in 546 BC.
The Battle of Granicus took place in 334 BC. And Alexander The Great defeated the Persians. After his death in 323 BC., Lysimachus one of his greatest generals dominated the city.
Starting from the year 133 BC. Ephesus reached its peak under the Roman rule.
Under the reign of Emperor Augustus Ephesus became the capital of province of Asia Minor.
By the 7th C AD, the city was almost completely abandoned.
Grave of St Luke (Lucas), Magnesia gate, bath of Varius, state agora , odeon, temenos, prytaneion, Domitian temple, Pollio fountain, Memmius monument, Hercules gate, Curetes street, Trajan’s fountain, terrace houses, Scholastica baths, Hadrian temple, latrines, brothel, Celsus library, Mazeus and Mythridates gate, commercial agora, the marble road, the great theater and the Arcadiane are among the most beautiful constructions of the ancient city of Ephesus.
