Pictures of Ephesus
To say the very least, Ephesus was an important city in the ancient
world. Located on the Western shore of Asia Minor, modern day Turkey (see map
below and in section 5), it was, in fact, the capital of that Roman province
and its greatest commercial city. It sat at the mouth of the important Cayster
River, right on the shore of the Aegean Sea, and therefore functioned as the
“Gateway to Asia.”
Taken from several sources (each of which is noted), the pictures on this page provide a small view of the ancient city of Ephesus. My personal favorite is the one below. I can only pray that someday I will get to see all this for real.
Amphitheatre and Arcadian Way in Ephesus with ancient seaport in the background
(© Philip Baird – www.anthroarcheart.org – Used with gracious permission)
Notice that the Aegean Sea far in the
distance does not come to the city shores, as it once did. Even in Paul’s day
the harbor was silting over so badly that the port was no longer at the
shoreline. Notice the map below.
1. THE FOLLOWING DRAWING IS FROM HTTP://WWW.CENTERCE.ORG/ AND IS USED HERE
WITH THEIR GRACIOUS PERMISSION.
MAP OF EPHESUS
Note the Temple of Artemis (Diana), the Agora (Market Place), the Theater, and
the Harbor.
2. THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE FROM HTTP://WWW.OURFATHERLUTHERAN.NET/
AND ARE USED HERE WITH THEIR GRACIOUS PERMISSION.
CURETES STREET
Along Curetes Street looking west. This section was restricted to pedestrians only and was part of the Sacred Way leading to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS
Artist's conception of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world was the great temple of Diana (or Artemis in Greek), which was located at a sacred site of an ancient Anatolian fertility goddess, about a mile and a half northeast of the city. It was widely represented on Roman coins, and was reported to be four times the size of the Roman Parthenon. Consisting of 127 white marble columns, each 62 feet high, it was 425 feet long and 220 feet wide.
3. THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE FROM WWW.BIBLEPLACES.COM AND ARE USED HERE
WITH THEIR GRACIOUS PERMISSION.
REMAINS OF THE TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS
Considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, Ephesus' Temple of Artemis was dedicated to the goddess of the hunt. Only the foundation and one column remain (and even that was erected by archeologists). Paul's successful ministry in this city was considered a threat to this very temple (Acts 19:27), and God ultimately brought the city and its religion to nothing.
COMMERCIAL AGORA
This market area is known as the "Square Agora" because of its dimensions 360 ft square. It arose in the Hellenistic period and was surrounded on all sides by arched shops about 40 ft deep. It is located next to the harbor and was the city's main commercial center. It is quite possible that Paul worked here with Priscilla and Aquila in their tent-making business.
AMPHITHEATER
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.
When Paul was accused of hurting the Artemis and her temple, the mob gathered together in this theater (Acts 19:23-41).
TERRACE HOUSES
From the time of Augustus, these dwellings of wealthy Ephesians, were decorated with beautiful frescoes and mosaics. The houses had luxurious bedrooms, bathrooms, triclinium, and kitchens. Built against the mountain south of Ephesus, the roof of one house forms the terrace for the house above it. These houses were inhabited until the 7th c. A.D.
4. THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE FROM WWW.SOFTWAREARTIST.COM/ AND ARE USED
HERE WITH THEIR GRACIOUS PERMISSION.
VARIUS BATHS
The Varius Baths was built during the Hellenistic age, and later enlarged and refurbished during the Roman and Byzantine periods.
COMMERCIAL AGORA
Another picture of the agora.
AMPHITHEATER
Another picture of the Great Theatre, viewed from the Harbor Road. Notice how it was built against the slope of Mt Panayir.
AMPHITHEATER
Another picture of the Great Theatre.
THE HARBOR ROAD
5. OTHER PICTURES
CURETES STREET
Today, the view down Curetes Street is still one of the most impressive in what remains of the city. This street was once lined with temples, monuments, fountains, statues, houses of the wealthy, public rest rooms, and expensive shops. Curetes Street offered a pleasant view from the Panayir Mountain before it arrived at the Mazeus Gate and Main Square of the city at the meeting point of the hills. Today, although only facades, partly standing walls, and broken statuary remains, it is still remains an impressive sight.
IMAGE OF ARTEMIS
Artemis (Diana) supposedly fell directly from Heaven to Earth. The image was of a crowned woman with multiple breasts that symbolized fertility. The temple was so popular that Ephesus became the religious center of all Asia. Besides Diana worship, Ephesus was also known as the center of occult arts and practices. Indeed, what better place could there have been from which to launch evangelistic outreach?
PAUL’S Second JOURNEY
(Taken from the King James Study Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
PAUL’S THIRD JOURNEY
(Taken from the King James Study Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
CHESTER BEATTY PAPYRUS MANUSCRIPT (P46)
Dated A.D. 200, the Chester Beatty papyrus manuscript (P46) is the earliest extant manuscript of Paul’s epistles. As discussed in the Introduction, it has Pros Ephesious (“to Ephesians”) at the top of the first page.