Ephesus is probably the most impressive historical site in Turkey. It lies about 100 miles south of the large city of Izmir, where Homer lived around 800 B.C.
The Ionians led by Androcles established a city here in the 11th century B.C. On a nearby hill was a Temple to the goddess of fertility Cybele, later identifed with Artemis [this temple was one of the original Seven Wonders of the world. Only a single column remains of this temple -- the rest of the temple was destroyed by the Goths and parts were later used in other structures. Several of the original columns can be seen in the Hagia Sophia church today]. The Persians conquered the city in 546 B.C., and Alexander the Great re-conquered it in 336 B.C. leaving his general Lysimachos in charge.
At one time this magnificent city had 250,000 inhabitants. The apostle St. John lived here for 3 years accompanied by Mary, wrote his gospel here, and died here.
