When was ephesus founded

This breath-taking city attracts approximately 1. It is believed that the Bible was written here and that the Virgin Mary died here, which gives it a special significance for Christians. It is believed that Ephesus was founded as far back as BC and was built to pay homage to Artemis, the fertility goddess. The city of Ephesus was geographical, economically, politically and culturally significant. Today, to Christians, it is a place of pilgrimage.

It is said that the city took years to build. On the day in BC that the Temple of Artemis, which was located within the boundaries of the city, was set alight by a Greek, Alexander the Great was born. If you are visiting Ephesus during the day, we would recommend that you take precautions to protect yourself from the sun.

In AD the city was destroyed again due to an earthquake. Continuously, the harbor of the city was silted up and city had trouble with malaria disease. Lastly Ephesus City was invated by Arabs and after city was occupied by the Turks in After Turkish Era started, Ephesus was abandoned during the 15 th Ad. History of Ephesus. Curetes Street. Marble Street. Paul Born in Turkey Journeys of St. Paul St.

According to legend, the Ionian prince Androclos founded Ephesus in the eleventh century B. The legend says that as Androclos searched for a new Greek settlement, he turned to the Delphi oracles for guidance.

The oracles told him a boar and a fish would show him the new location. One day, as Androclos was frying fish over an open fire, a fish flopped out of the frying pan and landed in the nearby bushes. A spark ignited the bushes and a wild boar ran out. Another legend says Ephesus was founded by the Amazons, a tribe of female warriors, and that the city was named after their queen, Ephesia. What is known is that in the seventh century B.

It was also the birthplace of the renowned philosopher Heraclitus. The Lydian King Croesus, who ruled from B. Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, chastity, childbirth, wild animals and the wilderness. She was also one of the most revered Greek deities. Modern-day excavations have revealed that three smaller Artemis temples preceded the Croesus temple.

In B. The Ephesians rebuilt the temple even bigger. It was estimated to be four times larger than the Parthenon and became known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The temple was later destroyed and never rebuilt. Ephesus continued to thrive even as other Ionian cities rebelled against Persian rule. Upon his death in B. Lysimachus moved Ephesus two miles away and built a new harbor and new defensive walls.

The reforms of Caesar Augustus brought Ephesus to its most prosperous time, which lasted until the third century A. During the reign of Tiberius , Ephesus flourished as a port city. A business district was opened around 43 B. According to some sources, Ephesus was at the time second only to Rome as a cosmopolitan center of culture and commerce. Ephesus played a vital role in the spread of Christianity. Starting in the first century A.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is thought to have spent her last years in Ephesus with Saint John. Ephesus is mentioned multiple times in the New Testament, and the biblical book of Ephesians, written around 60 A. Chapter 19 in the Book of Acts tells of a riot started by a man named Demetrius.

Demetrius made silver coins featuring the likeness of Artemis. In A. Some restoration of the city took place, but it never regained its splendor.