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ephesus

The strong influence of Roman culture and art became evident on Ephesus as early as 1st century B.C. Especially, during the years of Antonius, Ephesus started to live a very luxurious and wealthy life. Antonius first came to city after the Phillipoi war.
He was welcomed by Ephesus citizens with great admiration because of his deep respect of the Dionysus festivals. After he came to city with Cleopatra again in 33 B.C. he was forced to fight against Octavianus to keep control of the Roman empire. He lost the battle and receded to Alexandria in Egypt. He then committed suicide after him did Cleopatra.
   
Octavianus became the new emperor with the approval of Senate. His name was changed to Augustus in 27 B.C.During his reign, Ephesus became again the capital of Roman rule in Anatolia. A governor of Rome was ruling the Anatolian cities on behalf of Roman empire. A great importance was given to Ephesus by Roman empires during the following reigns.
The population of the city reached to approximately 250,000. It was one of five biggest cities in Roman empire. In 129 A.D. during his second visit to the city, the emperor Hadrianus started a large project of cleaning the city harbour from mud. One of seven wonders of all times, Artemis temple was burned down by a Gothic fleet in 262 A.D. They looted the city and ruined the temple.
The city carries a great importance in the history of Christianity. After the apostles were thrown out of Jerusalem in 37 A.D. they started to spread around. St. Paul came to Ephesus in the year 53 A.D. He established a number of first believers of Jesus in Ephesus. After a strong opposition by some locals he headed to Macedonia. He returned to the area years later, but settled in Miletus.
After his execution by Romans in the year 64 A.D., St. John became the head of the church of Ephesus. St. John, who is known to be trusted by Jesus Christ
as his mother's son after his crucifixion, took Mary out of Jerusalem and settled together in Ephesus. After his death, he was buried in Ephesus and a chapel was built on his grave later on.
THE HOUSE OF VIRGIN MARY (Ephesus)

At the end of the road from the Magnesia Gate to the Bulbul mountain ( Mt. Koressos) you will come across the House of Virgin Mary. According to the records of the Christian Council, Virgin Mary lived in this house until she died at the age of 64. It is widely believed that she left Jerusalem with St.John after Jesus was crucified. St. John wrote in Bible that Virgin Mary was entrusted to him by Jesus himself before crucification. It was also recorded in the Council documents that she lived in a house next to the Council Church inside Ephesus before moving into the house on Bulbul mountain.
The research on the age of the the foundations of the building shows that the original house was built in the 1st century A.D. but the walls and the roof were renovated during the following centuries.A major recognition of the house was sealed in 1967 when Pope Paul VI visited and prayed in the house. Later on, Pope John II visited the house and confirmed again the significance of the house for Christianity. Recently, the site is widely accepted as a pilgrimage place for Christians.

THE THEATER (Ephesus)

The biggest and the most spectacular structure of Ephesus. It was also the most important meeting place in the social and cultural life of the city. The theater is a large semi-circular structure leaning against the Pion Mountain. The audience was facing the stage and then the harbour at the background. The diameter of the theater is 145m. and the height is 30m. It is mainly made up of marble. Its has a seating capacity for 24,000 people. The original theater was built during the Hellenistic ages. Then it was enlarged in size during Emperor Cladius (41-54 A.D.) and completed during Emperor Traian (98-117 A.D.). Initially one storey, small stage section was modified and made much bigger during the Roman ages.
The stage was a three storey elegant part of the theater. There were 8 rooms and a corridor on each floor. The ground floor had an entrance to the podium and a hidden access corridor to the orchestra place under the ground. The first two floors of the stage were built by Roman Emperor Neron (54-68 A.D.). The third floor was added to the theater during the 2nd century.
The final form of the stage was has not been modified since then. The stage is a 25 x 40m. elegant building decorated with columns and statues of gods, goddesses and emperors on the outside. There were a number of gates into the theater.
 
 
The center one was the biggest one. The outer side of the stage building was the most decorated one. There was an altar (sacrifice place) in the middle of the stage podium. This altar was used to offer sacrifices to Dionysus and making ceremonies. The audience used to access to the the theater from the marble road through the stairs without interfering the stage building.