Tuesday October 1, 2019
EPHESIS, Turkey – Of the venues which remain from antiquity, the Greek city of Ephesus is the most impressive.
At the start, Ephesus remains perhaps the most splendid site in the ancient world. What makes this area different is that entire streets have survived and lined with columns, structures and houses.
With equal interest, Ephesis is not in Greece, but on the western coast of Turkey.
At its height during the last centuries BC, Ephesus was a major center of commerce and education. Population reached 200,000 by the 1st century BC and evidence remains of a thriving and prosperous community.
Outside of the Parthenon in Athens, perhaps the most recognizable structure remaining from Greek antiquity, is the Library of Celsus at Ephesus and runs a very close second. Built between 100 and 110 AD by Gaius Iulius Aquila for his father, the senator Tiberius Iulius Celsus Polemaeanus, the “library” can be referenced as a heroon, which was a shrine dedicated to a Roman or Greek hero and constructed over burial chambers.
Equally impressive is the amphitheater, or known as The Great Theatre, built as a three story structure. In additional to theatre presentations, public meetings took place here. Later in the Roman Imperial period, this was used for gladiatorial contests, and incorporated into the Byzantine city walls.
Straight down from the theatre, a long avenue, lined with columns and statues, traversed to a waterfront. Over several centuries, the water receded but the initial presence of a port enabled Ephesus to develop and grow as a viable, commercial entity.
Bearing left from the “theatre,” there is a winding street and that was the commercial market place.
Overall, we spent four hours on site and came away overwhelmed by the architecture and aura of this place.
To get there, we took a mini-bus, cost was 11t (Turkish lira), or about $2.00 to the town of Selcuk, about a 30-minute ride. From there, you jump on another mini-bus for a 3-kilometer ride to the site. Cost for this was 4t, or about 70 cents US.
Back in Kudadsi, we found our way back to the hotel and agreed to rent a car for the next week. The thought of dragging all of our things from taxi, to the bus, to the metro and on our backs no longer holds interest. At this point in our lives, cost is no object to comfort and practicality.
We’re picking up a car at 11 Wednesday morning here in Kusadasi and dropping off at an Istanbul airport next week. This includes a 150 euro extra drop-off fee but, at this point, I don’t really care. We continue to rationalize “it’s only money,” and we can cover this and other costs which may develop.
Heading out to dinner now and about to hit the highways of Asia Minor tomorrow. This should be quite interesting.
PICTURE – Images from Ephesis and street scenes from Kusadasi
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