Ephesus

Well-known from earliest times, this city was established on the delta of what is now called the Lesser Menderes River. The sheltered harbor of that period was the beginning of a royal road at the gate of Susa, the capital or the Persian Empire, which secured the city its importance.

It became the capital of the Roman province of Asia under Augustus and had a population of perhaps 200,000 and first centuries BC. In the 6th century BC science, art and culture were prominent here along with Miletus. The famous philosopher Heraclitus, interpreter of dreams Artemidorus, the poets Callinos and Hipponax, grammarian Zenodotus and the doctors Soranus and Rufus were all from Ephesus. Under Roman rule the city became the largest and richest in the province of Asia thanks to both land and sea trade. There were marble monuments everywhere in the city. It was the first city built entirely out of marble. In the 4th century AD trade had declined because the harbor was silting in. The Emperor Hadrian had the harbor dredged several times. The harbor was finned in by silt from the Marnas River and the Lesser Menderes coming from the north. In time the city was increasingly distant from the sea.

Ephesus

In the 7th century Arabs attacked the coastal areas. The city moved to Ayasuluk Hill for better defense. When the Turks came in the 13th century Ephesus was just a small village. They built mosques, caravanserais, and baths typical of Turkish civilization.

If you want to see the wonders of Ephesus, check out our tours “ Ephesus ”, “ A Tale of Civilization ” and “ Turquoise Beauty ”. Please feel free to contact our office for further information.