Ephesus and House of the Virgin Mary

May 10, Tuesday

We had a great tour of Ephesus with Yavuz.  Our driver dropped us off at the top of the hill for the archeologic site, at the entrance away from the port side of the city.  We started with an overview by looking at a scale model of the city, understanding that there was an upper agora, thermal baths, a small theater for the senators and wealthy people, then proceeding down through the main street that headed out to the port, a number of temples, shops, wealthy homes, arches built to honor the emperors, a basilica, and proceeding further, the library of Celsus, a second, commercial agora and a large theater that had a capacity for 25,000 people.  There was a marble road that proceeded from the commercial agora and theater and led down to the port and more baths located at the port.  While we were there, active excavation was going on – still lots to uncover at this very historic city.

Ephesus was once an important port, but the “small Menderes” - its primary river – eventually silted up.  I believe I read the Ephesus actually moved three times over the millennia.  The Temple of Artemis – one of the seven wonder of the ancient world – was built here.  It was one of the great Ionian cities of the region – along with Priene, Miletus and Didyma, which we’ll see tomorrow.  It lasted through Persian rule, was liberated by Alexander the Great in the 3^rd C BC, formed a federation with the Ionian city states, and then came under the Roman Empire and eventually Byzantium.  It’s famous for its biblical connections to the Apostles John and Paul, and was the center for the 3^rd Edumenical Council in 431 AD under Theodosis II, where the dual nature of Jesus – both God and man – was affirmed and Mary was first called “theotokos” – mother of God.

It was a warm day - needed sunscreen and a hat - but at 27 degrees C, nothing to complain about compared to summer visits.  The site was fairly crowded - Yavuz says, in part, when cruise ships come to the port of Kusadasi.  

Starting at the upper end of the town, away from the port - agora, senate's theater, baths, and beautiful pines.

The city had clay pipes under all the streets which carried water and also had a sewer system.  Wealthy houses were heated with warm water pipes under the floors.

A treasure trove of clay pipes in the upper agora area

Yavuz stopped to explain a Christian symbol that we would see carved in the marble at a number of locations in the city.  The symbol started as a fish, from the Gree word for fish – ichthys or ICTUS – in Greek, IXOYE,  which can stand for Jesus Christ God, Son, & Savior.  [Iesous (Jesus) CHristos (Christ) THeou (God) Uiou (Son) Soter (Savior)]

However, he said the fish (which we still use today) became easy to recognize by those that might with to do harm to the Christians.  So they devised a circle with 8 wedges – and you can make each of the five greek letters – iota, chi, theta, upsilon, sigma in the design.

Yavuz explaining why a circle with 8 wedges was an early secret Christian symbol

He crossed out the fish, as it became too easy to recognize.  Start with a theta (circle and a line) and you can trace the other four greek letters in the diagram

And here it is, carved on the pavement

The upper theater, which served as a bouleuterion, for meetings of the Boula or senate.

Looking down the long main street of Ephesus with the library of Celsus in the background

We saw the Basilica, which was decorated with Ionic columns and carvings of bulls’ heads.  It was used for commerce and law. We also saw the smaller upper theater, which served as a bouleuterion, for meetings of the Boula or senate, as well as an Odeon – a small theater for concerts and other activities for the wealthy.  We walked past Hercules gate – adorned by Hercules wrapped with the skin of the Nemean lion (which he killed with his bare hands).  There was a statue of Nike – which has a folded garment said to be the inspiration for the company Nike’s
“swoosh”.  We saw a s column carved with a caduseus – which Yavuz said is still used as a symbol by the American Medical Association.  And I said that , yes, actually, it still is – and here’s my business card showing the current rendering of it. (What a great co-incidence!).  We talked about the myth of Asklepios,  the god of health, medicine and physicians. He was the son of Apollo and a mortal lover, who betrayed Apollo. Apollo found out and killed her, but she was pregnant with Apollo’s child, so he saved the baby -  Asklepios. He taught Asklepios the secrets of healing. Hospitals in ancient times were dedicated to him.  I read that during the Roman times there was a large medical school in Ephesus.  At the very least, they think there was a hospital because of finding medical tools, like lancets during the excavation of the building.

A caduceus - a snake on a staff - symbol of healing, medicine and the AMA :-)

A carving of Nike - the garment fold under her arm on the left is supposed to have inspired the "swoosh"

Carving of Hercules wearing a the lion skin at the Hercules gate

Walking on the lovely marble Curetes street

The Fountain of Trajan

Mosaic pavement at the wealthy houses district

We saw the Fountain of Trajan and the Temple of Hadrian, which is adorned with a medusa, as well as has carved friezes of the 2 foundation myths of Ephesus – founded by Amazons and founded when Androklos found and killed a wild boar while hunting.  Once we passed the gates of Hercules, we were walking on Curetes street, with a great view of the library of Celsus and the gates/arches of Mazeus and Mythridates.  We heard an interesting story about a tunnel that lead from the library to some brothels (so the men wouldn’t be seen entering the illicit location in plain view on the street.  We saw a carved marble public latrine and then spent some time exploring the library – the third largest in the world at that time with 12,000 volumes.  Yavuz pointed out a graffiti menorah that is carved on the library steps.

Temple of Hadrian from 100 AD

A Medusa - take care not to look into her eyes lest you be turned to stone

The Celsus library and Gates of Mazeus and Mythridates (2 slaves freed by Augustus)

Despite the earthquakes, wars and other trials, still much incredible detail has been preserved

This coffered ceiling has the same style as the Parthenon in Rome

The (lower) commercial agora - close to the Harbor road from the port

This agora was much larger than the upper one

Inside the Ephesus theater

We walked along the marble road from the library along the commercial agora and to the theater.  It seats 25,000 people and had three layers with a vomitorium for easy access and evacuation.  There is a very specific story about Paul getting in trouble at the theater of Ephesus in Acts 19 (23-41).  He is confronted by a silversmith named Demetrius, who is selling silver status of Artemis.  He gathered his men, complaining that Paul was teaching about one God and maybe people would abandon Artemis and the Temple.  They converged on the theater and grabbed some of Paul’s disciples.  Eventually, the city recorder quieted the crowd and got them to disperse by telling them to use the courts and the law if they had any specific charges against the Christians.

The theater could seat 25,000 people

Another Christian symbol - this one near the port road

We walked along the Harbor street that goes from the theater, and past the commercial agora, down to the port.  There were covered shops lining both sides of the street (think “Grand Bazaar” style).  It was one of only three lighted cities in the world at that time (Rome and Antioch) and had water and sewage channels beneath.  There was also a carved “advertisement” for a brothel for the sailors – but we didn’t walk far enough to see it.

St. Paul was in trouble here - and the story is recorded in Acts

A lovely visit, with lots more details from Yavuz than I could every write here – including more mythology (Artemis, Vesta, etc) as well as details of daily life.

We drove to a tourist restaurant for lunch and had a buffet.  Michael and I ate outside under a covered terrace area, and then stopped at a state sponsored Turkish rug cooperative to look at the wares for sale.  Mike had never seen silk made from cocoons before (Elizabeth and I were treated to a similar experience during our China travels) – always fascinating.

The House of the Virgin Mary, where she reportedly lived her final years close to St. John

We next traveled to the House of the Virgin Mary (Meryem Ana) – near Sirince.  We drove up into the high hills, to a place called Nightengale Hill.  The evidence that this might have been where she lived the end of her life is based on visions of German nun from the 1800s.  It’s a fascinating story, and is told with objectivity.  Some of the rationale includes the fact that Jesus told John to take care of Mary, and John lived in Ephesus.  Also, why would Mary stay in Jerusalem after Christ was tried and crucified and Christians were being arrested and persecuted?  There is a long history of two very early Christian churches in Selcuk/Ephesus – one for John, where his bones were reportedly buried and the first known church for Mary.  A church has been on this site of the house foundations since the 4^th century and  carbon dating provided evidence that someone was living in the dwelling from around the time of 100 AD. Three recent popes have visited the site, and John Paul II has declared it a significant site for pilgrimage for Mary.

During our visit, there was almost no one there –  it’s located in the pines, with the sounds of birds and water from a spring.  The smells,  sights and sounds all combine together into a peaceful, pleasant experience.  It was very moving to be inside the small house which is  now a church.  I lit a candle for our mothers and we walked past the wishing wall, with many personal messages for Mary tied in place.

This site was rediscovered in the 1800s because of visions of a German nun about Mary's life.

There has been a small church here since the 300's or so, now recently rebuilt on the original foundations

The small room on the right had dating that confirmed someone living there in the 100s or so.

A very spiritual and moving place.

Next, we were supposed to see the site of the Temple of Artemis, but we asked to skip it because we were tired. On the way home, we saw people coming in from the fields – including a wagon load of women riding behind a tractor.  It reminded me of days I when I was in middle school and high school and worked at DeVulder’s farm. We were pleased to arrive about 4 PM at the Hotel Nisanyan in Sirince - a lovely oasis to be sure.