Ephesus
Ephesus, an ancient city on the western coast of Asia Minor. It was situated about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Smyrna (now Izmir), Turkey. Ephesus became renowned for its cult of Diana (Artemis), whom the Ephesians worshiped as a fertility goddess. The first temple to Diana was destroyed by fire in 356 B.C. The second temple—four times as large as the Parthenon—was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was destroyed by Goths probably in 262 A.D. Excavations have uncovered ruins of the temple and parts of the city.
The Temple of Diana (Artemis) at Ephesus was one of the largest temples built by the Ancient Greeks. It was famous for its decoration and extensive use of marble.Saint Paul was a missionary to Ephesus. According to tradition, Saint John the Apostle and Mary, mother of Jesus, lived there. As Christianity replaced paganism, Ephesus became a center for the devotion of Mary. A chapel marking the reputed site of Mary's home is a shrine.
Ephesus was founded by Ionian Greeks around 1100 B.C. and soon became a rich and busy port. The city was conquered in the 560's B.C. by the Lydians. Persian and then Macedonian rule followed. After the Romans took Ephesus in 133 B.C., the city grew in prestige and importance. The third ecumenical council met in Ephesus in 431 A.D. During medieval times the harbor of Ephesus gradually silted up, and the city declined and was abandoned.