The Ancient City of Ephesus. called the centre of civilizations, was the capital of the Asian State of the Roman Empire, and was once the most populated city in Anatolia, with a population of 200.000 between the years 100 - 200. Ephesus witnessed many historic events including the efforts of St Paul to spread Christianity, visits by the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra and the Roman Emperor Mark Anthon; and the last days of the Virgin Mar and St John. It is Turkey’s most important cultural heritage site attracting about 1.5 million tourists a year.
The history of this most ancient settlement dates back to 6000 B.C. The administration for this magnificent site of ruins falls under the jurisdiction of Selcuk Izmir, which has throughout history played a significant part in the fields of civilization. science and culture.
Legend has it that Androcles. the son of King Kadros founded the city. However, its foundation dates back to a much earlier period, as it was referred to by the Hittlte inscriptions as Apasa. the capital of the Arzawa Country.
The immigrants, who started arriving from the islands in the Aegean Sea from 1000 B.C.. wanted to convert Ephesus into a colony.
Ephesus is also home to the largest temple from the Artemis cult, based on the tradition of Kybele. the most ancient goddess in Anatolia. The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World In the Classical Period. The port city of Ephesus where people immigrated by sea and began settling in 1050 B.C. was re-located to the environs of the Temple of Artemis in 560 B.C.
Lysimachus. one of the generals of Alexander the Great, built the Ancient City of Ephesus seen today by tourists, in 300 B.C. Although it experienced Its most glorious times during this time and the Roman Period, the city was no longer a desirable settlement thereafter. The once busy port over time filled with alluvium, and as a result, the city had to be moved to the environs of St John’s Basilica built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527 - 56S) on Ayasuluk Hill. Conquered by the Turks in 1330 and converted Into the capital of the Aydinogullari Principality. Ayasuluk began diminishing gradually from the 16th century onwards, adopting Its present name. Selcuk. In 1923.
Excavations in the Ancient City of Ephesus have been ongoing by the Efes Museum and the Austrian Archaeological Institute since 1895. Today, thousands of tourists stroll along the Port Street (Liman Caddesi) every day. They watch the most magnificent artistic performances of the year at the Grand Theatre (Büyük Tiyatro), enjoy the splendour of the breathtaking Ceisus Ubrary. witness Christians paying pilgrimage at the Virgin Mary’s House and are able to appreciate thousands of artefacts from the Mycenaean, Ancient. Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine. Seljuk and Ottoman Periods at the Selçuk Archaeological Museum.
The deeply founded belief that the Virgin Mary and St John once lived in Ephesus has also turned the city into a sacred religious centre.
Follow
