Ephesus

At Ephesus, the Greco-Roman civilization is brought to life in all its splendor. After more than a century and a half of excavation, the structures of the city have been recovered and reconstructed, making it Europe’s most complete classical metropolis. This is despite the fact that eighty percent of the city has not yet been excavated!

Ephesus, which served as the capital of Roman Asia Minor, was a bustling metropolis with more than 250,000 people inside its borders. It was the fourth biggest city in the empire, behind Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch. Due to the fact that these numbers were much larger when traders, sailors, and visitors to the Temple of Artemis were taken into consideration, it is clear that Ephesus was a place where one could experience the whole diversity of the Mediterranean world and its peoples. Because Ephesus was so prosperous and influential, the Temple of Artemis, which is located on the western border of what is now Selcuk, was the largest temple on the planet and was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The adjacent Temple of Artemis, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and was finished about the year 550 BC, was the name of the city that brought it fame.There are a number of other magnificent buildings, such as the Library of Celsus and a theater that has the capacity to accommodate 25,000 of its audience members.

The book of Revelation makes reference to seven different churches in Asia, and Ephesus was one of those churches.It’s possible that the Gospel of John was written at this house.Several Christian councils were held in the city throughout the fifth century (for more information, see the Council of Ephesus).

It was in the year 263 when the Goths were responsible for the destruction of the city. Despite the fact that it was restored, the city’s significance as a commercial center began to decrease as the Kucukmenderes River gradually filled up the harbor. In the year 614 AD, an earthquake caused a portion of it to be destroyed.

The Ephesus ruins are a popular tourist destination, both internationally and locally. This is mostly due to the fact that they are easily accessible from Adnan Menderes Airport or from the cruise ship port of Kusadası, which is located around 30 kilometers to the northeast.