HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EPHESUS.

THE ancient city of Ephesus was situated on the river Cayster, which falls into the bay of Scala Nova on the western coast of Asia Minor. The traditional birthplace of the goddess Diana was in the Ephesian territory, and is described by Strabo as a thick wood, through which ran the river Cenchrius, near to which there was a mountain called Solmissus. The wood, the river, and the mountain were most probably in the immediate vicinity of the site which was afterwards selected for the temple dedicated to Diana, and which has now been located to the north-east of the city, and nearly a mile from the nearest gate.

A city of more or less importance had probably existed in the Ephesian territory for several centuries, before Androclus, the Athenian, with his followers, came and settled there, and thus founded one of the twelve cities of the Ionian Confederation, B.C. 1044. The Dorian migration dates back to a period sixty years earlier. According to Herodotus, they colonized the western coast of Asia Minor, and probably settled as far north as Ephesus. Pausanias tells us that Androclus drove out of the country the Lydians and others who dwelt in the upper city, but he suffered those who resided about the temple to remain undisturbed upon their swearing allegiance to him as king. History does not inform us who built the temple here alluded to, nor what kind of building it was.

Androclus appears to have had the energy and courage necessary at that time to maintain his rights, and he doubtless did much to increase the importance of the city, and to extend the worship of the goddess Diana. He also conquered Samos, and the neighbouring islands, but eventually fell in an engagement wherein he assisted the Prienenses against the Carians. Pausanias, writing in the second century of the Christian era, says, ‘Even now the sepulchre of Androclus, surmounted by the figure of an armed man, may be seen in the road which leads from the temple of Diana to the temple of the Olympian Jupiter, and the gates called Magnetide.’

On the death of Androclus, Ephesus became a republic, and thus remained till the time of Alyattes, about B.C. 620.

The sons of Alyattes, like those of Androclus, were driven out of the city, but the republic then formed existed only a few years, for Pindarus, the grandson of Alyattes, again took the city, and established himself as the tyrant.

In the year 562 B.C., Croesus besieged the city, and Pindarus, seeing that there was little chance of saving it except by stratagem, ordered it to be united by cords to the temple of Diana, which was seven stadia distant. By this means the city and its inhabitants were in a manner dedicated to Diana and placed under her special ‘protection; and Croesus, having respect to their stratagem, granted the citizens their liberty, at the same time that he exiled Pindarus, the tyrant.

Crœesus did not long enjoy his new dominion. Before the expiration of three years, the Ephesians rebelled against him, and Aristarchus, an Athenian, was chosen to supplant him. Aristarchus, as tyrant, ruled for five years, and his justice and discretion appears [to have succeeded in winning the confidence and affection of the people.

And now for more than two centuries, from the year 548 B.C. to the time of Alexander the Great B.C. 355-323, Ephesus was subject to, and paid tribute to Persia under Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, Xerxes, Darius II, Artaxerxes II and III, and Darius III — at the death of whom the extinction of Persian Empire was accomplished. During this period the form of government repeatedly changed, and Ephesus was ruled successively by tyrants, oligarchies, and republics.

It was during these times of constant disquietude for Ephesus that the arts of Greece attained to their highest perfection, and it was within this short period of little more than two centuries that the great temple of Diana was three times built upon the same site, and, as has now been ascertained, of the same grandeur, if not magnificence.

Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great successively exerted themselves ‘to free the Ionian cities of Asia from the Persian yoke; in this the latter succeeded.

After the death of Alexander, B.C. 323, Ephesus was taken by Antigonus, who put garrisons into this and other cities of Asia Minor.

Ephesus was now governed by an oligarchy, who opened the gates of the city to Lysimachus, in whose time the ancient walls, now to be seen at Ephesus, are said to have been built. During the century between the years 323 and 223 B.C., Ephesus was subject to Antigonus, Lysimachus, Demetrius, Antiochus Soter, Antiochus Theos, and the Seleucide. The form of government often changed as before. In the year 223 B.C., Antiochus the Great became King of Syria and Asia, and Ephesus paid tribute to him till his death, B.C. 187:

Ephesus then fell into the hands of the Kings of Pergamus, Eumenes, Attalus IT, and Attalus III, successively. It was during the reign of Attalus II that an engineer made the grievous mistake of narrowing the mouth of the river Cayster by embanking it near the mouth on the north side, and building a mole upon the sea-shore. It was considered that these constructions would increase the scour of the river near its mouth, which was formerly very wide; but it had a contrary effect, the detritus from the mountains, which are greatly composed of mica-schist, did not get away into the sea as well as before, and in course of time the port was silted up. To this circumstance the decline of Ephesus has been partly attributed. The remains of this massive embankment may even now be traced for nearly a mile, to within 400 yards ofthe present sea-board; and this is sufficient to refute the assertion of those who say that the sea formerly approached the city, which is now fully four miles distant, and could not have been much less distant 2000 years ago.

We have every reason to believe that Ephesus, from the time of its foundation, increased in importance till it became the chief mart of Asia Minor, and that the worship of the great goddess in her magnificent temple “never ceased to attract multitudes from all parts, many of whom remained to benefit themselves by her commerce as well as to worship at the shrine of the goddess.

The Romans now determined to possess themselves of this beautiful city, but the Ephesians struggled obstinately for their independence, and revolted in favour of Mithridates. They were, however, eventually subdued by the Romans under Antony, B.C. 41.

The luxurious life led by Antony at Ephesus, where he was joined by Cleopatra, must have retarded for a few years the prosperity of the city, but with the peace she enjoyed in common with other cities of Asia Minor under the Roman Empire, her commerce and riches must have increased, in spite of the heavy tribute she had to pay to her new masters. Cæsar Augustus, in addition to restricting the limits of the sacred precinct of the temple, no doubt commenced large public buildings, many of which were probably completed by Tiberius Caesar after the severe earthquakes which destroyed so many cities in his time. In the time of the Cæsars all the public buildings, including the theatres and gymnasia, must have been erected, the foundations of some of the ancient Greek structures being allowed to remain wherever they could be utilized — but the small amount of Greek masonry found in excavations in the city proves how the Romans destroyed the works of other hands than their own.

Christianity had amongst its earliest and most earnest followers many of the inhabitants of Ephesus, and the success of St. Paul’s teaching and preaching is proved by the disturbance which was promoted in the interests of Demetrius and the other shrine-makers for the temple of Diana¹. And we are told that even the magicians burnt their books to the value of 50,000 pieces of silver — this was probably equal to about 1,770 pounds sterling.

Christianity, indeed, had increased to such an alarming extent that the Roman Pliny, writing to Trajan, asks, ‘What is to be done with these people? Are those who repent to be pardoned, or is it to no purpose to renounce Christianity after having once professed it?’ Trajan mercifully replies, ‘The Christians need not be sought after.’

Under Antoninus Pius a great portion of the city near the Odeum was rebuilt. The Jews, who were very likely a numerous community at Ephesus, had a quarter of the city allotted to them for their residence, as they have in modern times in many cities of Europe as well as at Smyrna. It may be presumed that Christianity never failed to prosper in the city of Ephesus from the time it was first preached there, and it is probable that even some Christian churches were built within the city before the temple was finally destroyed. The Goths sacked the city A.D. 262. It is supposed that the temple did not exist many years after that date, and that the Christians towards the latter end of the third century exerted themselves to the utmost to extirpate all remains of the worship of Diana by the total destruction of her temple, and probably the persecution of her worshippers — even as Christians in the present day persecute each other. Some of the marble blocks from the walls of the temple were used to repair the proscenium of the great theatre, as I discovered in the course of the explorations, and all the square blocks of marble were taken for similar purposes, and the sculptures chopped up for, lime.

Churches were said to have been dedicated to St. john, St. Mark, and St. Luke. There is also, on the east side of Mount Coressus, a church near the cleft in the rock called the Cave of the Seven Sleepers, which was said to be dedicated to them. It is cut out of the solid rock, and the groined roof is of stone and plastered.

Timothy, the first Bishop of Ephesus, was supposed to be the angel of the church alluded to in the Revelation of St. John. The Council held at Ephesus in the Church of St. John, which I believe was situate on the hill at Ayasalouk, met in the year A.D. 431 to decide the question raised by the Nestorian heresy.

With the decline of its commerce and the destruction of the temple, Ephesus lost its historical importance, and we know little of its history during many centuries. It probably fell into the hands of numerous adventurers, of whom a certain Greek pirate is named in the eleventh century.

The Turks took possession of the city in the thirteenth century, and built a considerable town at Ayasalouk, which, with Ephesus itself, fell into the hands of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem established at Rhodes, and who struck some coins at Ayasalouk A.D. 1365.

Timour the Tartar, commonly nicknamed ‘Tamerlane,’ obtained possession of Ayasalouk, Ephesus being then only a suburb, A.D. 1402, but he was too great a conqueror to hold for any length of time a place which had by that time become so insignificant, and the Turks soon regained possession, and retained it.

The ancient city of Ephesus was by degrees deserted, and the Turkish town at Ayasalouk also appears to have fallen into decay — the great mosque itself being now roofless. The malaria from the marshes near the river Cayster increased from year to year until the inhabitants deserted not only Ephesus, but Ayasalouk, and took up their abode in the modern village of Tchirkenjee, situate on the mountain range on the east side of the plain. In the present day there are a few caffigees and bakals (coffee-house keepers and provision dealers), who increased in number while the excavations were in progress, but although there are some small houses and huts at Ayasalouk there are not more than twenty regular inhabitants, the houses being occupied only during sowing and harvest times by the people from Tchirkenjee, who cultivate the land in the plain of Ephesus, and now grow tobacco amongst the ruins of the ancient city. This tobacco has acquired a great reputation for its fine quality, and obtains a high price in Smyrna.

1) These shrines were probably minute models of the temple and the mage of Diana, and they were used as charms in the house, and occasionally carried on journeys,