
Where is Ephesus
The
ancient city of Ephesus near the modern town of Selcuk, about 50 km
south of Izmir (Smyrna) in Turkey.
Location: Ephesus was constructed on a river bend, that was eventually
dredged into a full harbor near the mouth of the Cayster River, on the
western coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Along the coastal plain
between Smyrna to the north and Miletus to the south, the site is now
about six miles from the Aegean Sea. The city shifted in five distinct
locations over time, each within a small area.
The Apostles Paul and John were familiar with the city that scholars
have dubbed "Ephesus III" the largest (in area) of the five. The areas
where Ephesus located are as follows: Ephesus I: Aya Suluk (St. John
Area); Ephesus II: Artemission area; Ephesus III: Port of St. Paul: base
of Mount Koressos; Ephesus IV: north of Aya Suluk; Ephesus V: Selçuk
area. Because of the man-made harbor structure and the flow of the
river, a backwash flow caused the harbor to frequently silt up (by 449
BCE we already read of problems documented about the silting.
Later, Eusebius records that Ephesus honored Emperor Hadrian for
dredging and making navigable the harbor). When cleared, Ephesus was in
a location that justified a great seaport. The city sat at the
convergence of three land routes with a shipping lane from the north via
the channel created by the Island of Chios and an opening facing the
cities of Macedonia.
The land routes that converged on Ephesus included: 1) The Colossae /
Laodicea road (travelling east), 2) The road to Sardis and Galatia
(northeast), and 3) The Smyrna (north) main road.

Please click on the images and see in 3D animation..
Ephesus is discovered in Selcuk, Izmir in western
Turkey. Kusadasi is 19 km. far away from Ephesus and Pamucak beach is 5
km far away from Ephesus.
The original site of Ancient Ephesus was most likely established
on the Aegean coast, on the shores of that sea which is today located 8
km. away from the archaeological excavations.
Over the centuries, in fact, the rubble brought on to the plain of the "Kucuk
Menderes" has enlarged the alluvial plain surrounding the
archaeological zone, leaving behind in actual fact the shores of the
Aegean. In Roman times it was situated on the northern slopes of the
hills Coressus and Pion and south of the Cayster (Kucuk Menderes)
River, the silt from which has since formed a fertile plain but has
caused the coastline to move ever farther west. In Roman times a sea
channel was maintained with difficulty to a harbor well west of Pion. By
late Byzantine times this channel had become useless, and the
coast by the mid-20th century was
three miles farther west.
Ephesus (Efes) is close to the town of Selcuk about an hour drive
south of Izmir. Kusadasi is the nearest larger town, about
20km from Ephesus.
Ephesus Location:
Ephesus was constructed on a river bend, that was eventually dredged
into a full harbor near the mount of the Cayster River, on the western
coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Along the coastal plain between
Smyrna to the north and Miletus to the south, the site is now about six
miles from the Aegean Sea. The city shifted in five distinct locations
over time, each within a small area. The Apostles Paul and John were
familiar with the city that scholars have dubbed "Ephesus III" the
largest (in area) of the five.
The areas where Ephesus located on as follows:
Ephesus I: Aya Suluk (St. John Area);
Ephesus II: Artemission area;
Ephesus III: Port of St. Paul: base of Mount Koressos;
Ephesus IV: north of Aya Suluk;
Ephesus V: Selcuk area.
Because of the man-made harbor structure and the flow
of the river, a backwash flow caused the harbor to frequently silt up
(by 449 BCE we already read of
problems documented about the silting. Later, Eusebius records
that Ephesus honored Emperor Hadrian for dredging and
making navigable the harbor). When cleared, Ephesus was in a
location that justified a great seaport. The city sat at the convergence
of three land routes with a shipping lane from the north via the channel
created by the Island of Chios and an opening facing the cities of
Macedonia.
The land routes that converged on Ephesus included:
1) The Colossae / Laodicea road
(traveling east),
2) The road to Sardis and Galatia
(northeast), and
3) The Smyrna (north) main road.
Population:
Some scholars estimate the number of people living at Ephesus to have
exceeded 250,000 inhabitants during Ephesus III, which would make it
perhaps the fourth largest of its day behind:
1) Rome;
2) Alexandria; and
3)An Antioch. This large a city was
an economic stronghold in Asia Minor, and justified the title supreme
metropolis of Asia though there is an evidence that its overall economic
standing may have been slowly declining.
THE MOST CREATIVE AND ECONOMICAL
EPHESUS TOUR FOR YOU!
We provide you with the air conditioned vehicle with the driver and the
licensed professional English speaking guide. You can draw up the
program and determine the sights you wish to visit; our guide and the
private vehicle with the driver will be at your disposal.
This kind of Ephesus tour is for those who is short of time or just have
special wishes about what to visit around Kusadasi and Ephesus.

|