We put into port at Kusadasi this morning and headed out to the ancient city of Ephesus. St. Paul lived here for three years. It was a large and powerful harbor city until the river silted in the harbor and the coast shifted miles to the west after which the city was abandoned. Normally marble and granite is taken and repurposed by later people but since this site was abandoned and Turkey has lots of marble, this site was left mostly intact although covered in 1400 years of dust. The main road from the administrative area to the harbor was set in decorative mosaic stone and much of it survives. Only a small portion of the city has been excavated but even that was a huge area.
My biggest surprise of the day was at Didyma. One of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World, the Temple of Apollo did not disappoint. While only three of its many 70 foot columns still stand , it helps to give you an idea of what a colossal structure this temple was. This Medusa carving stood guard to ward off bad spirits. I guess it didn’t work too well as the temple was looted and the bronze statue of Apollo was stolen by the Persians. Alexander the Great promised the locals he would find and return the statue. We don’t know if he found it but it never made its way back.
Our last stop was at Melitas, the site of a well preserved theatre which I believe is mentioned in Acts 19.
