Archaeological Findings at Ephesus

ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS AT EPHESUS continued...

The library of Celcus We enter now a broad, wide square. At its northeast corner stands the Memmius Monument. This monument was built for one of the grandsons of the dictator, Sulla. It was named Memmius, in the 2nd Century AD. In later periods, in the 4th Century AD, a fountain was added to the northwest of the monument.

The area before us, extending to the back in a rectangular shape, was the State Agora of old Ephesus. From here, via four stairs, one could ascend to the basilica of the agora. Beneath The State Agora, measuring 160 by 73 meters, lie remnants of an earlier structure. This indicates that the expanding Ephesus grew through the use of areas previously used for other purposes.

In the 1st Century AD, this State Agora was used for government-controlled trade. It was also used for the purpose of religious and official state ceremonies. Alongside the Agora, the basilica reached by the four stairs was used as a commercial exchange building. Its location directly alongside the state agora ensured that transactions were handled speedily. This structure, measuring 165 meters in length, was built in the 1st Century by the Emperor Agustus. On the east side, a stoa has been identified which was altered in the Byzantine period. This stoa was decorated with statues. Three large gates gave entrance from the stoa to the basilica.

After visiting the basilica, with some of its columns restored and raised to their original position, let us visit the Town Hall of Ephesus, (Prytaneion). To the right of the Town Roll, in the holy sector of the city, stood the Altar of Hesiia, where the holy eternal flame of the city burned. The fact that both of the statues of Artemis Ephesia were found in the ruins of the Town Hall would indicate that the building also had a religious function.

Only the square altar of the eternal flame of the town hall remains from the Hellenistic Period. The rest of the structure was re-built during the Roman Period.

The buildings adjoining the Town Hall served as service structures. From here we enter the Odeion of Ephesus, seating 1,4450 persons. Due to its close proximity to both the Town Hall and State Agora, the Odeion must have been used as a meeting place for the Town Council.

The Odeion was built by the wealthy Ephesian Publius Vedius Antoninus in the 2nd Century AD. It had a closed roof. Along the main street, in front of the Odeion, stands a water depot. And at the far end of the basilica lie the Vedius Baths.

South of the Town Hall square stands the Pollio Fountain. It is reached via the buildings east of the square of Domitian. The fountain was built by C. Afillius in the honor of C. Sextilius Pollio in the year 93 AD. The statues, which decorated this fountain, are now housed in the Ephesus Museum.

The square next to the fountain is the square of the Temple of Domitian. In the 1st Century AD, the Ephesians for the first time erected a temple to honor a Roman Emperor. The inclusion of a large statue of the Emperor would indicate that the Ephesians did so in an effort to continue their good relations with Rome. This statue is now located in the Izmir Museum. The original temple measured 50 by 10 meters. Its central alter can be seen in the Ephesus Museum in Selcuk.

At the turn of the street we reach the fountain called the Water Palace. It is in fact a monumental fountain built around the year 80 AD by Proconsul Laceanius Bassus. It is due to its large size that it was given the name of Water Palace.

On the road to the House of the Virgin Mary we reach the Magnesian Gateway. The marble street originally extended all the way to this gate. With this we complete our tour of the city of Ephesus.

We should here mention briefly the Maidens' Palace, which we see on our way. In actuality, this was the East Gymnasium along the wide roadway, which connected the Artemision with the Magnesian Gateway. Today it lies on the left side of the road to Selcuk, with imposing large walls. Having yielded statues of maidens during its excavation, it was even the name the Maidens' Palace.

The Seven Sleepers are located north of this East Gymnasium, at the base of Mt. Pion. During the early years of Christian expansion, in the reign of Decius, seven young men, attempting to escape pagan pursuers, took refuge here in a cave. And under the protection of God slept for 200 years. When the awakened, Theodosius II was on the throne, and Christianity had become the official religion of state. When the seven men actually died, they were buried in this cave.

After this miraculous event, Christians have visited this spot of pilgrimage since the middle Ages.

A steep road behind Ephesus leads us up to the House of the Virgin Mary. Before his crucifixion, Jesus left the care of his mother, the Virgin Mary, in the hands of his most trusted and loved Diciple, St. John. John and Mary, between the years 37 to 48 AD came and settled in Ephesus.

Until recently this site has not been known. Catherine Emmerich was a nun who had never visited Anatolia. She was bed-ridden from illness for twelve years. She described the House of the Virgin Mary (which she of course had never seen), with a lot of details before her death. Based upon this information M. Poulin, in 1891, researched the area and identified this house as being closest to that described. In 1892 the Archbishop of Izmir declared it to be a pilgrimage site. Pope Paul VI, in 1967, and Pope John Paul II, in 1980, visited the site.