Ephesus Antique City started as a simple settlement in 8600 BC. It has grown over the centuries and has become one of the most important world capitals of its era.
The city has developed a lot of thanks to the fact that the Selçuk district of Izmir, where it is located, is one of the most fertile lands of Anatolia, trade routes pass through, and it has a port connecting the east and west of the world. He saw his golden age in 129 BC after he was tied to the Roman Empire.
It became the capital of the Asian Province. During this period (2nd-1st century BC), Ephesus turned into one of the biggest metropolises of its time with a population of over 200,000 people.
The wealth accumulated in the city was also reflecting in the architecture. It is possible to guess how impressive the Celsus Library exhibited by standing up again is the magnificence of the city.
The city’s most famous and beautiful structure is the Temple of Artemis, which is among the 7 wonders of the world. Unfortunately, today only a few pieces of stone and a combined column remain from the temple. It is considered as the continuation of the Greek goddess Artemis Cybele and is synthesized into Greek culture.
Ephesus was home to many religions and races. Saint Paul relied on the atmosphere of tolerance and brought Mary here to be safe after Christ’s crucifixion in Jerusalem in 36 AD. The house where the Virgin Mary lives today has become a pilgrimage point visited by Christians from all over the world.
Saint Paul tried very hard to spread Christianity in Ephesus, he gave one of his famous sermons here. Ephesus played an important role in the spread of religion thanks to the transition of many to Christianity. He died in Selçuk, and his grave is also in the castle. In 313 Christianity became the official religion of Rome. At the age of 380, the idolatry applied to the city dwellers ended.
Ephesus was looted many times, seized earthquake, changed hands, but always continued. However, after Küçük Menderes prepared it, he could not resist. The river filling the harbor with alluvium caused the sea trade to end and the city to decline. The declaration of Istanbul as the new capital of the Eastern Roman Empire has also weakened the already weak city.
Now its economy was based on a center of pilgrimage. The devastating earthquakes in the 6th and 7th centuries also became salt pepper. The city could not return to its old days when people fleeing the occupation of the Arabs left other settlements.
For the settlement, which could not return its fate during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, we can say that the best times in the Roman years are now thanks to the tourist buses that arrive around the clock.
*https://izmir.ktb.gov.tr/TR-77418/efes-selcuk.html
