History in Ephesus

According to legendary narratives, Ephesus was founded by warrior women known as the Amazons, and its name is thought to derive from the Hittite city Apaša (Apasas), meaning “city of the Mother Goddess.” Archaeological findings show that the Ephesus area has been settled since the Neolithic Age (6000 BCE). In the 10th century BCE, the foundation of the city was laid by Greek colonists of Attic-Ionian origin, replacing the people of the Arzawa Kingdom who lived there. In the Classical Age, Ephesus was one of the twelve cities of Ionia and became one of the wealthiest cities of the Mediterranean during the reign of the Lydian kings. The Temple of Artemis (Artemision), constructed during this period, became famed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The temple’s foundations date back to the 7th century BCE, and it was completed as a magnificent marble building around 550 BCE with the support of the Lydian King Kroisos (Croesus).

After the Persian Empire's dominance, Ephesus was liberated from the Persians by Alexander the Great in 334 BCE. One of Alexander's successors, Lysimachus, moved the city, whose site had become unhealthy because of the marshes, about 2.5 km to the southwest, to the site visited today, and refounded it at the start of the 3rd century BCE. The new Ephesus quickly became one of the most important trading ports of the Mediterranean. In 281 BCE, the city once again began to be called “Ephesus.” In 129 BCE, by the will of the King of Pergamon, Ephesus came under the Roman Republic's control and was included in the Province of Asia. Despite some disturbances during the Hellenistic and late Republican periods (e.g., Mithridates’ massacre of the Roman citizens of Asia in 88 BCE and Rome’s subsequent revenge), the city regained peace under the Roman Empire.

The magnificent surviving facade of the Library of Celsus, built in the 2nd century CE in the Ancient City of Ephesus. During the Roman Empire, Ephesus experienced its most illustrious period. Particularly in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, the city went through a golden age; it was made the capital of the Province of Asia during Emperor Augustus' rule, and its population exceeded approximately 200,000, making it one of the largest metropolises of the era. In this era of prosperity, Ephesus filled with monumental buildings adorned with marble and became famous for its Great Theatre (with a capacity of ~25,000, the largest ancient theater in Anatolia), its magnificent temples, and buildings such as the Library of Celsus.

Ephesus was a bridge between the Eastern and Western worlds, which made it one of the most vibrant centers of trade, culture, and intellectual life in the Roman era. The celebrated orator Aelius Aristides praised Ephesus as “the most important trading center of Asia” and extolled it as an enlightened intellectual hub (for example, the second largest school of philosophy in the Aegean was here). The Temple of Artemis served not only as a religious sanctuary but also functioned like a financial institution of the time, acting as “the general bank of Asia” and providing refuge to those in need of credit. Roman emperors, too, held this beautiful city in special regard; some even came to Ephesus in person, stayed for a while, and contributed to its building projects. Aristides, who lived in the mid-2nd century, praised Ephesus for its cosmopolitan nature and prosperity, saying:

“All people, from the Pillars of Hercules (the Strait of Gibraltar) to the Phasis River (east of the Black Sea), know Ephesus because of the international character of its means of transport and the completeness of its accommodation facilities. Everyone goes there as if it were their homeland; it's the general bank of Asia and a refuge for those in need of credit.”

Ephesus also played a significant role in the spread of Christianity. In the 1st century CE, the Apostle Paul (St. Paul) came to the city and preached here for about three years while organizing early Christian communities. According to tradition, the Apostle John (St. John) settled in Ephesus with the Virgin Mary and, at the end of his life, was buried on Ayasuluk Hill. Ephesus was one of the Seven Churches of Asia mentioned in the Book of Revelation. After Christianity became the official religion of Rome, paganism declined, and the Third Ecumenical Council (First Council of Ephesus) convened in Ephesus in 431 CE, making significant decisions for the Christian world. During this period, the cult of Artemis and other pagan beliefs gradually ceased, with large temples being abandoned and replaced by churches.

From the 3rd century CE onwards, Ephesus began to lose its importance. In 263 CE, the city was invaded and damaged by the Goths. Although it was rebuilt, the harbor gradually silted up with alluvium carried by the Küçük Menderes (Cayster) River, leaving Ephesus kilometers inland and robbing it of its commercial advantage. Attempts to dredge the harbor in the reign of Emperor Hadrian came to nothing. The great earthquake of 614 also heavily damaged the city, further diminishing what remained of its importance. In the 7th century, as coastal towns were struck by Arab raids, the people of Ephesus began moving to the more defensible Ayasuluk Hill (the original site of the city). During the Byzantine period, the city center completely transferred to the Ayasuluk area, and the name Ephesus was forgotten as this new settlement became known as Ayasuluk. In the early 1300s, the region was captured by the Turks (the Beylik of Aydınoğulları). In the late Middle Ages, Ayasuluk lived on for a while as the capital of the Aydınoğulları and an important port city. By the Ottoman period, however, the complete silting of the harbor and outbreaks of malaria had caused the population to fall rapidly; by the 17th century, only a ruined village remained at Ayasuluk. Eventually, even this area was abandoned, turning the region into a silent archaeological site. Today, the Selçuk district is located at the foot of Ayasuluk Hill, where ancient Ephesus once stood.

The ruins of Ephesus have attracted travelers for centuries, and scientific excavations began in the 19th century. During the initial excavations led by John T. Wood for the British Museum from 1863 to 1869, the foundations of the Temple of Artemis were uncovered. In subsequent years, many teams, particularly the Austrian Archaeological Institute, unearthed the ancient structures at Ephesus. The archaeological site of Ephesus was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015. In 2024, it hosted over 2.6 million visitors, earning the distinction of being Turkey's most visited open-air museum. Today, the Ancient City of Ephesus is a unique historical treasure reflecting the grandeur of the past in the eyes of both the archaeological world and travelers.