While planning my recent trip to Turkey in April, one of the places that I was most eager to discover was Ephesus, one of the best preserved ancient cities in the entire world. So, on arriving in Kusadasi, we immediately arranged a day trip to see Ephesus.
Our wonderful guide, Mehmet, picked us up at our hotel at 9AM, and drove us through the rolling hills and olive groves of the Selcuk region towards Ephesus . Along the way, he introduced us to the sites we were about to visit and we chatted about life in Turkey: ancient and modern alike.
Our wonderful guide, Mehmet, picked us up at our hotel at 9AM, and drove us through the rolling hills and olive groves of the Selcuk region towards Ephesus . Along the way, he introduced us to the sites we were about to visit and we chatted about life in Turkey: ancient and modern alike.
Next, Mehmet took us to the main destination of our trip: Ephesus. As we walked along the 3000 year old roads of the Roman city, it wasn't difficult to imagine life in the city. Although things have undoubtedly changed, most notably the disappearance of toilet-seat warming slaves (yes, I'm serious!), the basic foundations of city life remain the same. Walking through Ephesus, we passed the parliament; two marketplaces; a theatre; a public toilet; a library; some residences. It is impossible not to notice the parallels with the modern city, and come to the realization that these ancient civilizations not only laid the foundations of their own cities, but also those of modern life as we know it.
One of the most fascinating things to see was the Romans' ingenuity in their heating and plumbing systems: that's right, the Romans were heating their houses in the 2nd century BC. They heated water using a furnace and ran the hot air through spaces under the floor and in the walls to heat up each room. WOW. They even created a natural pressure system to transport their water through the pipes: they would make pipes where the hole on one side was larger than that on the other, creating natural pressure that could push the water up and down and around the entire plumbing system.
Seven Roman houses have been incredibly preserved in a specially designed enclosed space: one has been preserved so well that all the original wall paintings are intact, and you can walk on a platform above the house and see all the rooms: bedrooms, a prayer room, a dining room and a courtyard, all decorated with different symbols on the walls: the Eros, the God of love, in the bedroom, birds in the kichen, etc.
The symbol of Ephesus is, of course, the stunning Library of Celsus, the facade of which is fully standing, In its time, this was the third largest and richest library in the world, housing more than 12 000 scrolls.
So, by this time I was thinking: wow, look how thought through this all was! Where did all the people go? Why didn't this city continue to prosper? Unfortunately, this site seems to have had it's share of bad luck. In ancient times, this city used to have its own port; gradually, the sea level dropped, and today Ephesus is almost 10 km away from the Aegean. Lack of access to sea trade routes and water supply took a toll on the city.
So, by this time I was thinking: wow, look how thought through this all was! Where did all the people go? Why didn't this city continue to prosper? Unfortunately, this site seems to have had it's share of bad luck. In ancient times, this city used to have its own port; gradually, the sea level dropped, and today Ephesus is almost 10 km away from the Aegean. Lack of access to sea trade routes and water supply took a toll on the city.
The citizens of Ephesus are gone, but the remnants of their lives remain in the form of stones and statues at sites like Ephesus: and what's incredible is that what I saw on my visit is only the beginning. 90% of the city is still underground, yet to be tirelessly excavated by the careful hands of generations of archaeologists: it is estimated that it will be another 400 years until the full city is uncovered.
What are your favourite ancient remains? Are you as fascinated by the idea of civilization in the 10th century BC? Do you like this type of travel diary style post? Tell me your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below.