Turkey/Ephesus

Grand Blue Sky Hotel Kusadasi

We arrived in the resort town of Kusadasi on the Aegean coast.  The hotel we stayed at was patterned off a cruise ship.  It was probably the nicest hotel we stayed at in Turkey but unfortunately the service was lacking.  We were given 20 minutes to try and have 90 hungry students and old timers eat dinner.  They would take plates away if you didn't keep your hand on it with a knife to fight off the waiters.  Kusadasi is only a few miles from Ephesus and I noted a sign for a Lady's Beach...whatever that is.

Eastern entrance to Ephesus

 Following a quick breakfast, knife in hand, we arrived at Ephesus as the sun was coming up.  Well not really, by the time we load buses and make bathroom stops it was more like 9:00 am...still pretty early.

Temple of Artemis

  

Famed for the Temple of Artemis (550 BC)was known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  It was destroyed by a mob led by St John Chrysostom in 401 AD.  Since he was a saint, I am sure Jesus told him to do it .  It was later rebuilt by Emperor Constantine I but was then destroyed by an earthquake...vindicating Mr Chrysostom.

 

   Odeum/ Bouleuterion                                                                      

                      Stone carving of the flying goddess Nike

Hercules Gate

Hercules is depicted with the skin of the Nemean lion in mythology. The Nemean lion had been terrorizing the area around Nemea, and had a skin so thick that it was impossible to kill it. Finally he wrestled the lion to the ground, eventually killing it by thrusting his arm down its throat and choking it to death. Hercules was the god of power and strength.








 Built by Quintilius in 138 AD and dedicated to Emperor Hadrian.  Inside the temple above the door, a human figure, probably Medusa stands with ornaments of acanthus leaves. On both sides there are friezes depicting the story of the foundation of Ephesus - Androklos shooting a boar, Dionysus in ceremonial procession and the Amazons. The fourth frieze portrays two male figures, one of which is Apollo; Athena, goddess of the moon; a female figure, Androkles, Herakles, the wife and son of Theodosius and the goddess Athena. 

Temple of Hadrian

                                                                                                                                         

Prytaneion

 The place where ceremonies and banquets were held.  The sacred flame symbolizing the heart of Ephesus was kept constantly lit in the Prytaneion.

Curetes Street Ephesus

One of 3 main streets in Ephesus between Hercules Gate and the Celsus LibraryThere were fountains, monuments, statues and shops on the sides of the street. The shops on the south side were two-storied. Ephesus had many earthquakes, in which many structures including the Curetes Street were damaged.

Latrines

Part of the Scholastica baths and built in 1 century AD.  These were the public toilets and required an entrance fee.

Library of Celsus

Built in 117 AD Library of Celsus was originally built as a monumental tomb for Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, the govenor of the province of Asia

The scrolls of the manuscripts were kept in cupboards in niches on the walls. There were double walls behind the bookcases to prevent the them from the extremes of temperature and humidity. The capacity of the library was more than 12,000 scrolls. It was the third richest library in ancient times after the Alexandra and Pergamum.

Commercial Agora

Being the most important trade center of Ephesus, Agora was built in the third century B.C in the Hellenistic Period, but the ruins date from the reign of Caracalla (211-217 C.E)

Originally holding 25,000 people, this theater was built in the Hellenistic period and was renovated by several Roman emperors.  Designed for theatrical performances, later alterations allowed gladiatorial contests to be held here

 During his stay in Ephesus, Paul aroused the anger of the city's guild of silversmiths, who had a prosperous business selling silver shrines of Artemis(Diana), the goddess who's impressive temple was in Ephesus.  A near riot ensued when the silversmiths began chanting "Great is Artemis" (Acts 19:28) The people of the city gathered in the theater dragging two of Paul's traveling companions inside.  After two hours the town clerk was able to bring the crowd under control.  Paul wrote the letter of 1 Corinthians and perhaps 2 Corinthians here.  Some scholars suggest Paul was imprisoned during this time.
 

The Church of Ephesus is the first mentioned in Revelation (2:1-7).  Early Christian tradition claims that John lived in Ephesus after leaving Jerusalem and then following his exile on the island of Patmos.  Here he wrote the Gospel of John and the three Letters of John.  According to this tradition, John died in Ephesus (see D&C 7:1-6) and also brought Mary, the mother of Jesus to Ephesus.

 

Theater in Ephesus