Ephesus: Ancient Myths, Christianity, and Marketing
“Growing up in the ‘New World,’ ancient Greece and Rome felt as fantastical and distant as the worlds of Jules Verne or Star Wars. My first encounter with Greek mythology came through Monteiro Lobato’s books, where he seamlessly blended his own fiction with the legends of the gods. It was through his stories that I entered this world of myths—once a living religion with devoted followers. Standing amidst the ruins of ancient Greece, gazing at these timeless columns with my own eyes, transformed that distant fantasy into a tangible reality.”
The façade of the Library of Celsus creates an illusion making it seem grander than it actually is.
I attended a Catholic school, where we studied Christian mythology—a belief system that still thrives with countless followers. To me, these stories felt as disconnected from reality as those of ancient Greece. Years later, I learned that both share the same origins: Christianity adopted many Roman and Greek festive dates and even borrowed Zeus/Jupiter’s imagery for its portrayal of God. Of course, not everyone was convinced—locals in Ephesus famously rejected these new ideas, clinging instead to their devotion to Artemis.
It’s no surprise that the historical sites of these religions overlap, and Ephesus is a perfect example. Some even believe that the Gospel of John was written there.
A few years ago, I visited the ancient city of Ephesus (Ἔφεσος in Greek), located in modern-day Turkey. We flew to Izmir and drove to Selçuk, where the ruins of Ephesus stand. Once among the most beautiful cities of ancient Greece, Ephesus boasted a population of nearly 200,000 at its height, adorned with magnificent temples, marble streets, and grand baths.
The Grand Theater is one of the largest and well preserved of ancient times, with a capacity for 25 thousand people. It was at this place that Saint Paul would preach his gospel.
What we now know as Christianity began to take root in the Greek world shortly after Christ’s death. According to tradition, Paul of Tarsus—yes, Saint Paul himself—spent three years in Ephesus. While there, he worked as a tentmaker to support himself and devoted his time to organizing what would eventually become one of the world’s largest religions. Most intriguingly, it’s believed that during these years, he wrote his gospel, laying the foundation for much of Christian theology.
The Library of Celsus
Located on Kuretes Street, the Library of Celsus stands as one of the most remarkable and well-preserved ruins in Ephesus. Reconstructed in the 1970s using original materials and replicas of artifacts taken to museums, this iconic structure gives visitors a glimpse into the grandeur of ancient times. Built with funds donated by Celsus, the library was named in his honor and originally housed an impressive collection of 12,000 scrolls and manuscripts. A testament to the intellectual and cultural achievements of the city, it remains a symbol of Ephesus’s rich history.
It’s not an easy task to tell reproductions apart from actual, historical ruins. The subtle differences can often go unnoticed by the untrained eye, making it challenging to discern authenticity in various settings.
Inscription in the entrance of the Library of Celsus reads “With good fortune! Publius Statienus Petronianus, also known as Julianus, the emperor-loving father and supervisor of the sacrifices, was a fair and reliable market master. When he was in office, the best bread cost four obols for fourteens ounce while normal bread cost two obols for ten ounce. Satisfaction and sanctification.” (source of translation: Livius.org)
The statue of Sophia, goddess of Wisdom, is a modern copy of the original, just like all the other statues that decorate the entrance of the library.
The Library of Celsus, the façade of which has been carefully reconstructed from original pieces, was originally built c. 125 CE in memory of Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, an Ancient Greek who served as governor of Roman Asia (105–107) in the Roman Empire. Celsus paid for the construction of the library with his own personal wealth and is buried in a sarcophagus beneath it. The library was mostly built by his son Gaius Julius Aquila and once held nearly 12,000 scrolls. Designed with an exaggerated entrance — so as to enhance its perceived size, speculate many historians — the building faces east so that the reading rooms could make best use of the morning light. - Wikipedia
The Latrinas
It might come as a surprise, but even the people of ancient Greece had to answer nature’s call. Ephesus was so advanced that it boasted a public toilet with flowing sewage beneath it—a marvel of cleanliness for its time. Citizens would gather, lift their robes, and take care of business while chatting with their neighbors. This communal restroom, located just around the corner from the Library of Celsus, is a testament to the city’s ingenuity—and its sense of community!
Water would flow directly under the latrinas, ensuring fast sterilization and removal of bad smells.
View of the library from the Latrinas, the public toilet. I’m sure they had a roof back in the day.
The Temple of Hadrianus
This temple was built in the 2nd century and is mostly made of original surviving ruins. Some of the original upper sections are in the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, close by to the ruins. The reliefs show images of Athena, Artemis, Apollo, an unidentified woman, Androklos, Hercules, Theodosius’ father, Emperor Theodosius, Artemis of Ephesus, Theodosius’ wife and elder son, Dionysus, and the Kurets.
Temple of Hadrianus is located just down the street from the Latrinas.
The Terrace of Houses
Opposite the Temple of Hadrianus is the Terrace of Houses. An extra ticket is required to visit. This is a complex of homes that has been under continuous restoration for 50 years. Originally a graveyard up to the 4th century CE, houses started to be built in the location about 500 years later.
The location is under constant restoration.
You can see how the painstaking process of putting the pieces together happen in real time, as the archaeologists work.
The larger villas had beautiful mosaics on the floor. The whole complex is really impressive and is totally worth the extra 20TL.
Some of the largest villas had 900 square meters in size.
The Gate of Hercules
Up at the top of the hill is the Gate of Hercules. It can be dated to around the 5th century and was built to control vehicles moving up the street. It’s a popular picture spot for tourists. A few meters up the road, in the Domitian Square, is a statue of the goddess of victory Nike, which was a cornerstone of the gate. She holds a crown of olive leaves in one hand and a palm tree branch in the other.
This is the view from the Gate of Hercules. I am standing right under it when I took the picture. I didn’t take a photo of the gate, sorry.
Statue of Nike, goddess of victory, part of the Gate of Hercules.
The Love House
There is evidence that the house next to the Latrinas was a bordello, popularly called the “Love House”. It was built in the 1st century A.D. and then reconstructed 300 years later after an earthquake. It was a huge house with lots of rooms. The women would stay on the top floor and the guest on the ground level. The indications that this place was actually a “Love House” are the inscriptions on the walls of the Latrina. Ancient bathroom graffiti.
An early form of advertising can be seen in the marble in front of the Library of Celsus. Engraved in stone is a foot, a heart, the image of a woman, and the word AKOLOYQI, which apparently means “follow me” in Ancient Greek .
On the ground is a heart punctured by an arrow (where is the arrow?), a foot, and to its right a woman. The word “AKOLOYQI” (follow me) is engraved somewhere, but I can’t see it.
The Love House, located behind the latrinas, was a huge building with several rooms.
The Temple of Arthemis
Ephesus was home to such extraordinary architecture that one of its temples, the Temple of Artemis, was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is one of two Wonders located in modern-day Turkey, the other being the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Built entirely of marble, the Temple of Artemis took an astonishing 120 years to complete. Finished in 550 BCE, it was the largest structure in the Greek world at the time, supported by 127 massive columns.
The temple’s location was lost to history until 1869, when it was rediscovered after six years of searching by John Turtle Wood. The excavation, sponsored by the British Museum, resulted in much of the site’s artwork being relocated to the museum.
Today, it’s hard to believe that one of the greatest architectural achievements in history has been reduced to a scattering of stones and a few grazing goats. The site is free to visit, but don’t expect grandeur—it’s mostly a quiet, empty field that stands as a faint echo of its former glory.
Goats ”take care” of the grass around the temple and literally chase tourists that cross their path. I’ve seen it.
One column was erected with random stones to mark the place where the temple once stood. In the background, the ruins of the basilica of St. John, where the apostole was buried.
Ephesus Room at the British Museum
The Temple of Artemis was discovered buried under six meters of sand, completely in ruins. Anything remotely intact was carefully excavated, packed, and shipped to the British Museum, where these artifacts are now displayed in Room 22, offering a glimpse into the grandeur of what was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
This is probably the most interesting piece the British Museum has from the Temple of Artemis. In the basement there are several more column tops.
Marble column drum from the Later Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, showing a draped woman, perhaps Alcestis or Eurydike, between a youthful draped Thanatos (Death) and Hermes Psychopompos; also shown are Persephone seated, and Plouton (Hades). British Museum
