- Ephesus was the most important city in the province of Asia, the “Queen of the East.”
- Site of an important harbor, Ephesus was home of the great Temple of Diana, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
- Ephesus was a “free city,” meaning that the Romans allowed them self-government and stationed no soldiers there.
- Paul stayed longer as a missionary in Ephesus than in any other city. Timothy worked there, as did Aquila and Priscilla and Apollos.
- Tradition has it that John spent his last years there.
- Centuries of silting have left Ephesus miles from the sea, and what was the site of a great city is now a swampy plain.
- Parts of the Temple of Diana were used in cathedrals in what is now Turkey; where the great temple once stood, covering more than two acres, there is now only a depression in the ground.
Additional reading:
“Ephesus” in Easton’s Bible Dictionary on searchgodsword.org
“Ephesus” in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on searchgodsword.org
“Ephesus” in Smith’s Bible Dictionary on searchgodsword.org
“Ephesos” from The Princeton Encyclopedia of Ancient Sites
Sir William Ramsay on Ephesus
Ch. 17 — Ephesus: The City of Change
Ch. 18 — The Letter to the Church in Ephesus
Presentation and Handout:
Ephesus (from Slideshare.net)
Photos of Ephesus:
