Ephesus: Duel in the Sun with history
We had been warned, but even though we were in mid-October, Hell was hot and there was a shadow in hundreds of meters around. We were helpless against the overwhelming story of Ephesus, Walking on the Aegean between the ruins of what was one of the main ports of Antiquity, commercial bridge between Asia and the West for centuries.
Any site oozes history, but last of Ephesus is overwhelming: Greek colony was almost millenarian when Jesus Christ was born (Founded in the ninth century BC is attributed to Androcles, son of the last king of Athens, although a legend claiming that honor for the Amazons), here the temple of Artemis rose, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, who tried to rebuild, after a fire caused by a shoemaker with grandiose delusions, Alexander himself.
Any site oozes history, but last of Ephesus is overwhelming
He became the second city of the Roman Empire. Here the philosopher Heraclitus was born here and spent Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, San Pablo (thundered) and San Juan and, some say, to the Virgin Mary, I have lived in Ephesus his last years of life (in fact, the late nineteenth century were discovered in the nearby Mount Pion the remains of what would have been her home, today place of worship for Catholics around the world).
We got up at six o'clock. Pegasus Airlines plane that leads to Izmir, ancient Smyrna, birthplace of Homer, takes off at nine o'clock Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul. Us within. An hour later we landed at the airport of Izmir Adnan Menderes, the third most populous city in Turkey after Istanbul and Ankara. There awaits us Orkan, the guide whose services we have hired over the Internet to express our visit to Ephesus. With it we cross the road 80 km. Izmir separating the ruins of the ancient Greek city, with a previous stop at the Casa de la Virgen (of which I shall speak on another occasion).
The backbone of the reservoir, something like Ephesus Castellana, It is the Way of the Curettes
We move through a landscape of Mediterranean crop mark, olive groves and small mountains, fertile ground blessed by rains that leads to the old Ephesus, we access through Gate Magnesia, built in the first century by Vespasian. The backbone of the reservoir, something like Ephesus Castellana, is the via the Curettes (priests who were responsible to the sacred fire is never extinguished), an avenue flanked by marble floors the remains of buildings that became a privileged city that once had, in the second century, around half a million inhabitants: library, theater, hot spring, fitness center, public toilets, parliament, whorehouse, sources…
It is not too much of that magnificence of yesteryear, except the embers carved in stone that are a mere nod to its glorious past, by peevish cats wandering in search of a shadow that does not exist. And so, walking among groups of tourists and the rhythmic tapping of machined multilingual explanations of the guides, We move down the mountain leaving behind the hot springs (They were heated by passing hot air through a pipeline under the pavement) and Odeum (an enclosure capable 1.500 where people enjoyed concerts efesios) and cross the Heracles Gate, from where it enjoys one of the most beautiful views of Ephesus: of the descending pathway that culminates in the Curettes jewel archaeological area: the restored Library of Celsus.
It is not too much of that magnificence of yesteryear, except the embers carved in stone
The library housed in small niches over 12.000 rolls and was one of the major cradles of knowledge of the Roman Empire. Here it is buried Tiberius Julius Celsus, Roman consul and patriarch of the family that financed its construction. Afire in the year 263 during the Gothic invasion, It was restored in the years 70 the last century, which now allows visitors to enjoy the most photographed façade of Ephesus.
At the beginning of the next track is a marble inscription in Greek, "follow me", announcing the proximity of the whorehouse. There was no loss (Ephesus was, also, the first city of the empire to illuminate its main streets at night). A little later, to the left, In the absence of neon signs is a chiseled foot on the floor indicating the direction of the public house. In case there was any doubt, excavations brought to light in this place statues of Priapus with his erect phallus.
A lack of neon signs is a chiseled foot on the floor indicating the direction the old whorehouse
I keep thinking in the heat to do here in the middle of August (I read somewhere that there was even fainting, and no wonder). In the nearby theater, three floors of bleachers can accommodate 25.000 spectators at this time look like a huge pan where it's about time we finish all friéndonos, I climb the stairs looking for the best angle for the photo. The view from here, nearly twenty meters high, It is enviable.
Opposite seen clear pathway Puerto, a road half a kilometer flanked by porticos full of shops that formerly died at sea. Before the bank retrocediese almost six kilometers (because of the alluvium of the river Cayster), Ephesus without leaving port.
Arrival by car to the nearby Temple of Artemis is desolating. Only a column left standing
Minutes after, arrival by car to the nearby Temple of Artemis It is desolating. Only a column left standing, coarsely together piece by piece, and blocks of marble everywhere. As the aura of one of the seven wonders of the world continues throwing sparks the imagination of travelers, around several vendors offer false Byzantine coins for ten lire taking the visitor emotional weakness against nothingness, still shocked by the sorrow caused by the archaeological trifle.
The temple of 120 columns, built in the sixth century BC, It is closely linked to the figure of Alexander the Great: It was destroyed by an arsonist shoemaker, Erostratos, 22 years before the Macedonian ruler came to Ephesus to rid the city of the Persian rule. Rebuilding the temple was already underway, but Alejandro help finance in exchange for them to put your name. the Ephesian, willing to do anything ugly like their goddess Artemis, They resorted to diplomacy to reject his help, convincing him that "a god cannot help another god". Now, all you can do here is to lose a few minutes looking for the best frame of solitary column Ottoman castle, Isa Bey Mosque and the Church of San Juan in the offing. Some consolation.
Before leaving Ephesus, We remained one last grin tourist esperpento: an exclusive fashion show
More stir Alexander the great cause in Ephesus, three centuries and a half later, another visit: the apostle San Pablo, who used the city as a hub for missionary work in Asia Minor and put on a war footing traders, whom he marred the sale of statuettes of Artemis at nearby temple.
Before leaving Ephesus, We remained one last grin tourist esperpento. Orkan had offered to accompany us to a store with unbeatable discounts on leather goods and even seemed typical ambush commission, we ended up not resist because the plane did not take off until late. The worst fears were confirmed with an unexpected scenery, yes. When we wanted to account, We were inside a ship city Selcuk attending an exclusive fashion show where the models parade with fur garments and the corresponding number on the flap, we must note if after we buy in the adjoining shop. We invite to you and, pass over, We continued the ambush on a ship full of coats and leather jackets in which we agitate the lure of discounts up 60%. Unceremoniously, agriamos owner smile when we say we're going. Nobody says goodbye to us. Outside, Orkan no questions.
