Ephesus Ancient City
Ephesus Ancient City, BC. It started as a simple settlement in 8600. It grew over the centuries and became one of the most important world capitals of its time.
Although the first settlers are not exactly known, there are a few legends.
It is rumored that Ephesus was first founded by female warriors, who were called amazon in history, and even that its name came from Apasas, a city of the Kingdom of Arzawa (City of the Mother Goddess).
At the entrance of the Temple of Hadrian in the Ancient City of Ephesus, there are the following sentences describing the foundation of Ephesus;
“Androklos, the brave son of Kodros, king of Athens, wants to explore the other side of the Aegean. He first consults with the oracle of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. The priests tell him that he will build a city marked by fish and pigs. 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 emerged from the bushes and snatched the fish, and escaped. Here the prophecy came true. They decide to establish a city here…”
The city is very active because it is one of the most fertile lands of Anatolia, where the Selcuk district of İzmir was founded, trade routes pass through here, and has a port that connects the east and west of the world. advanced. It saw its golden age after joining the Roman Empire in 129 BC. It became the capital of the Province of Asia. During this period, Ephesus became one of the largest metropolises of its time, with a population of over 200,000.
The richness of the city is also reflected in the architecture. It is possible to guess how impressive the city is from the splendor of the Celsus Library, which is still standing. In addition, other structures in Ephesus reveal the size of the city.
Places in Ephesus Ancient City
- -Odeon/Bouleuterion town hall
- Temple of Domitian
- Hillside Houses
- Trajan’s Fountain
- Curetes Street
- Hadrian’s Temple
- Scholastika Bath
- house of love
- Celsus Library
- Marble Street
- Theatre
- Harbor Street and baths
- Double Churches
- Stadium
- Vedius Gym
Ephesus was looted many times, experienced earthquakes changed hands, but it always continued. However, after a while, Ephesus experienced a great misfortune. The port of Ephesus, which had a large share in the enrichment of the city, started to fill up and lost its port feature. And this has slowed trade. The emperor of the time, Hadrian, who wanted to prevent this crisis, had the full port emptied several times. However, it could not prevent the bad course. Thus, Ephesus both lost its port and became a city far from the sea.
Ephesus, whose economy is now based on being a pilgrimage center, was destroyed by the devastating earthquakes that took place in the 6th and 7th centuries and the people fleeing the raids of the Arabs evacuated the city and found other settlements, and the city could not return to its old days.
In Ephesus, which passed to the Turkish principalities as of 1304, prosperity lasted for 98 years, but in 1402 it suffered from the Mongol attacks and suffered great destruction. In 1425, the city was conquered by the Ottomans. After this point, Ephesus loses its importance rapidly and when we come to the 20th century, the sand carried by the Menderes River has expanded the plain. Ephesus, a coastal city, is now 5 km away from the sea.
Ephesus continues today, with a distance of 3 kilometers between its lower and upper gates.
it is a huge city and still, half of it has not come to light. You should spend at least 2-3 hours here.
Summer Period: April 1 – October 1 Opening Time: 08:00 Closing Time: 19:00
Winter Period: 1 October – 1 April Opening Time: 08:30 Closing Time: 18:00
Open year-round.