Located near the port of Kusadasi on the Aegean coast of Turkey, Ephesus is a major tourist destination for those cruising the Mediterranean. Ephesus was the largest Roman city in Asia Minor. Due to its immense size, only a fraction of the site has been excavated, but what remains is spectacular.
Cruise ships usually offer guided tours, but we found that our guide hurried us through the site too quickly to gain much appreciation of it. If at all possible you should try to arrange a self-guided tour so you can explore Ephesus at your own pace. That, or figure out what time your bus is leaving and split off from your group. There's a lot to see and you don't want to be rushed! Once inside, you're on your own as far as water or the W.C., so be prepared. It's a good idea to bring something to drink. Once the sun starts roasting all that marble it can become quite hot, and you sometimes end up clambering over rocks to get a better view. In that respect the ruins are somewhat hands-on.
Although there are two entrances to Ephesus, most people enter via the upper entrance at the Agora. This allows you to walk downhill through the rest of the city. The Agora was the center of public life. You can view the remains of temples, administrative buildings, and an odeon where theatrical performances were held. Columns reconstructed from the original stone form a wide colonnade. As far as the eye can see, blocks of hewn marble litter the landscape. There is even a stone game board (now cracked down the center). According to our guide, it was used to play backgammon.
Exit from the Agora is obtained via the Hercules Gate, two stone pillars that trisect a street leading down to the Library Square. This gate was intentionally made too narrow for wheeled vehicles in order to prevent them from entering the Agora. The path here can be somewhat steep. As it is paved with marble, I imagine it could become quite a slippery slope in the rain. The ancient Ephesians, who did not have modern hiking gear, scraped rough spots into the marble to improve traction for people walking downhill in sandals and togas.
Don't miss checking out the remains of the public latrines just off this street. It was a gathering place and hang-out for the ancients. In winter, the stone seats got quite cold, so wealthy Ephesians had their slaves sit there first to warm it up for them.
Near the Library Square are extensive remains of temples, baths and houses, but as soon as you see the Library of Celsus you will be drawn magnetically toward it. This two-story structure has been painstakingly rebuilt from the original materials and is justifiably famous. Unlike some historical sites where everything is roped off, you can walk right up to the library and step inside. (It's prettier on the outside, but still brilliant.)
Once you reach the Library you're about half done with Ephesus. Next to go are the main agora, where everyday commerce took place, and the massive theatre. The theatre held 24 000 people and seems to be completely intact. If you walk out on the stage you might be surprised by the acoustics which are still quite good.
Ephesus is famous not just for its historical associations with Hittites, Greeks, and Romans, but also as a center of early Christianity. St. Paul preached in the Theatre of Ephesus and the Epistle to the Ephesians is part of the New Testament. Ephesus also possessed a coliseum which was even larger than the Theatre, but this has not yet been excavated.
Ephesus was a major center of the worship of the goddess Artemis during Greek and Roman Times (St. Paul was run out of town by her devoted worshippers!). The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was located here. Today the temple is completely gone. All that remains of the legendary temple is a single column in a grassy field. The efforts of British archaeologists have recovered some artifacts which are now displayed in the British Museum.
My visit to Ephesus was one of the highlights of my vacation in the Greek Isles. It was an opportunity to see the remains of a major city which, unlike Rome and Athens, has not been encroached on by modern life. I feel very privileged to have had the chance to visit. Definitely recommended.
