Ephesus
WHERE IS EPHESUS
Ephesus is in The Aegean Region of The Republic of Turkey. It is located in Selçuk town in Izmir(Symirna) Province which is the 3rd largest city of the country. It is only 72 km away from the airport in ?zmir and 18 km from Ku?adas? centrum.
There were two foundation legends of Ephesus. According to the older legend, Ephesus was founded by the Amazons, the warrior women race who never gathered with men unless they wanted to fight or procreate!
Some historians clame that the name Ephesus have been derived from ‘Apasas’ the name of a city in the Kingdom of Arzava.
According to the second foundation legend of the city, Ephesus was founded by Androclus whom was the son of the king of Athens, Codrus. He consulted the oracle about where to found a settlement. Parallel to the Oracle’s answer he founded his settlement at the place that was indicated by a wild boar and a fish.
The city, situated in Selçuk in izmir Province of Turkey has been axcavated for more than one hundred years. The extensive remains are predominantly from the later Roman Period.
Its location as a starting point for the Royal Road via Sardis to Susa, its protected harbor and the Temple of Artemis which was one of the 7 wonders of the world made Ephesus the most famous city in the ancient world.
It was the second largest city of the worl with the population of 250.000 in the 1st C BC. The city has been located at different places in different times;
Ephesus I was located on Ayasuluk Hill and inhabited by ancient Anatolians, Carians and Lelegians.
Ephesus II was on the North slope of Panayir Dagi (Mt. Pion). It came to be ruled by Croesus of Lidia in the mid 6th C BC as with other cities of the Agean Coast of Anatolia then past to the Persians in 546 BC. It joined the Delian League after the Persian wars. In 334 BC it fell to Alexander the Great and to his successors, Lysimachus and Seleucid rulers.
Ephesus III was located between Panay?r and Bülbül mountains. It was moved to this location by Lysimachus in the 4th C BC. Later it was controlled by Pergamon eventually passing into Roman hands in 133 BC.
Ephesus IV was located on Ayasuluk Hill due to the persisting silting up of the harbor and Arab invasions.
HISTORY OF EPHESUS
The city of Ephesus was founded by Androclus, the son of King Codrus of Athens in the 10th C BC. According to legend, he had to leave Athens after the death of his father. As it was costumary at the time to consult the oracle before making important decisions, he went to the oracle of Delphy to ask her where to found a new settlement. Following the prediction of the oracle they decided to setle at the place where they were lead by a fish and a wild boar.
Lydians conqured Ephesus in the year 560 BC but only 13 years after that the city past under the rule of Persians in 546 BC.
The Battle of Granicus took place in 334 BC. And Alexander The Great defeated the Persians. After his death in 323 BC., Lysimachus one of his greatest generals dominated the city.
Starting from the year 133 BC. Ephesus reached its peak under the Roman rule.
Under the reign of Emperor Augustus Ephesus became the capital of province of Asia Minor.
By the 7th C AD, the city was almost completely abandoned.
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