Historical Background
In ancient times, the great coastal port of Ephesus created a
great city with over 250,000 inhabitants. Located in what is now
the western coast of Turkey near the modern city of Selcuk (Seljuk),
the port itself silted up and the city now lies nearly 10 KM from
the waters of the Aegean. Although the Romans later took over Ephesus,
the city's roots lie deep in Greek colonization where, centuries
before, the Greeks of Asia Minor built one of the Seven Wonders
of the World in honor of the goddess Artemis. But due to long decades
of control by the Persian monarchs, it mingled Greek ideas with
more eastern influences.
In the ancient world, Ephesus was a center of travel and commerce. Situated
where the mouth of the Cayster River meets the Aegean, the city was one of
the greatest seaports of the ancient world. Three major roads led from the
seaport: one road went east towards Babylon via Laodicea, another to the
north via Smyrna and a third south to the Meander Valley.
The name "Ephesus" was probably derived from the word "Apasas", the name
for the site in the late Bronze Age. A pre-Greek name, most likely meaning
bee, it is strongly supported by the popular symbolism of that most famous
of goddesses, the Ephesian Artemis. The ancient author Strabo refers to the
early populations as "Karians and Lelegians," while Pausanias relates the
tradition of the Amazons of Thermodon founding the city, and raising a shrine
to the goddess, whose protection they sought on several occasions.
However, legend is much more interesting. Ancient historians tell the story
that Ephesus was founded far earlier than the the Ionian colonization. As
it was customary in ancient times to consult the oracle before any important
event, Androclus, the son of Codrus, the legendary King of Athens, always
sought the Oracle's wisdom before founding a city. He asked the Oracle where
to settle in this region of Anatolia. The answer was simple: "at the place
which will be indicated by a fish and a wild boar". After colonists landed
in the region of Ephesus, they made camp and were grilling fish. A burning
fish set a bush on fire causing a boar to leap out of the bush and run away.
Remembering the words of the Oracle, they founded Ephesus on the spot.
Unlike many of its neighbors Ephesus, survived many of its political battles
intact. Falling to the invading Cimmerians in the 7th century BC, its capture
in the 6th century by King Kroisos, the "Golden Monarch of Lydia" saw its
first relocation further inland. The demise of Kroisos was followed by Persian
hegemony, as with the rest of Ionia, under the rule of King Cyrus.
With the Persian defeat in Greece, Ephesos joined the Delian League, until
the "Kings Peace" in 386 BC. once again restored Persian rule.
Its liberation by "Alexander the Great in 334 B.C, returned it to Greek rule.
In 290 BC, a second relocation and "short lived" change of name by Lysimachos,
placed the metropolis further down stream of the Kaystros river's steadily
depositing alluviums, to the side of Mount Pion (Panayirdag), the area of
its now famous location.
By 133 BC Ephesus was part of the Attalid kingdom, bequeathed to Rome. Thereafter,
its history was strongly influenced by the Romans, who eventually made it
the capital of their province of Asia. It remained one of the premier cities
of Asia until soon after the great Temple of Artemis was destroyed, and the
region sacked, by the Goths in 263 B.C. The area never recovered.
One of Ephesus' famous sons was the philosopher Heraclitus. Heraclitus was
born in Ephesus in 535 BC when Ephesus was already the second greatest city
in Ionia. His primary work, "On Nature," was divided into three sections
- cosmology, politics and biology His concepts were difficult and he maintained
an attitude of scorn for the popular mass, for political leaders, and for
most previous writers on philosophy and religion including Homer, Hesiod,
Pythagoras and Xenophanes.
When Socrates read Heraclitus' work, he commented that "The concepts I understand
are great, but I believe that the concepts I can't understand are great too.
However the reader needs to be an excellent swimmer like those from Dilos,
so not to be drown from his book.". (Diogenis Laertius, Lives and Opinions
of Eminent Philosophers, Socrates 22).
Heraclitus was allegedly once asked to write a constitution for Ephesus,
but refused. He used to play at knuckle bones with children by the Temple
of Artemis. When adults came to gape at a great philosopher so spending his
spare time, he replied "Why should you be astonished, you fools? Isn't it
better to do this than to take part in your civil life?" Another story relates
that the Persian King Darius once invited him to his court to explain his
ideas. Heraclitus declined - and apparently lived, such being his fame.
Ephesus was, like Heraclitus, unique and a city convinced of its own values.
The melting pot of Greek and Asian characteristics made Ephesus memorable
and extremely profitable.
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