Ephesus (Greek: Ἔφεσος Ephesos; Turkish: Efes; may ultimately derive from Hittite Apasa) was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia,
three kilometres southwest of present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century BC on the site of the
former Arzawan capital by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. During the Classical Greek era it was one of the twelve cities of
the Ionian League. The city flourished after
it came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC.
The city was famed for the nearby Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), one of
the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World. Among many other monumental buildings are the Library of Celsus, and a theatre capable of holding 25,000
spectators.
Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that
are cited in the Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written here. The city
was the site of several 5th century Christian Councils (see Council of
Ephesus).
The city was destroyed by the Goths in
263, and although rebuilt, the city's importance as a commercial centre
declined as the harbour was slowly silted up by the Küçükmenderes River. It
was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 AD.
Thanks to Pinar
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