"Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!' So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's traveling companions. And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow it.
Then some of the officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent to him pleading that he would not venture into the theater. Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused, and most of them did not know why they had come together.
And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people.
But when they found out he was a Jew, all with one voice cried out for about two hours, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!'
And when the city clerk had quieted the people, he said: 'Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple guardian of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?
Therefore, if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a case against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them bring the charges against one another. But if you have any other inquiry to make, it shall be determined in the lawful assembly.
For we are in danger of being called into question for today's uproar, there being no reason which we may give to account for this disorderly gathering.' And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly." - Acts 19: 28-41
The Theater of Ephesus held up to 24,000 people.
The street to what would have been the harbor, where Paul likely would have arrived to and sailed from.
A museum nearby has a collection of artifacts found in the Ephesus excavations.
That any glass at all survived from these times never ceases to amaze me:
A model of the temple of Diana (Artemis):
"Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" One of two statues found of Diana/Artemis. Artemis was the Greek goddess, adapted to Diana by the Romans. In Asia Minor, she was also conflated with the mother goddess Cybele (represented here by the multiple breasts).
Just some statues that caught my eye. How sad we no longer work in this medium.
I love how the first part of the post was written with the pictures. It really brings past events to life!
ReplyDeleteThose sculptures were top notch!
Thanks Ed! It just kind of flowed once I started writing.
DeleteThe sculptures are amazing - and that was only a small part of the whole we saw. Again, it is sad to me this is no longer a widely practiced art.
Seconding Ed, the skill in those sculptures and the stonework. A finely structured post today TB, very well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you Nylon12! These are the sorts of things that are a joy to share.
DeleteExcellent choice of text for the photos. It's so helpful to have historic context.
ReplyDeleteI'm always interested with the stonework. This especially, because it looks like they didn't use mortar, even in that arched ceiling. Amazing!
The statue of Cybele looks very Asian, like something that might be seen in India. Rather fascinating.
Thanks Leigh!
DeleteThe stonework always impresses me as well. And now that you mention it, there is not a lot of mortar in general except for some specific building techniques.
Cybele was very much an Easyern sort of goddess, not much at all in appearance with the classic Greco-Roman ideal. We will meet her adherents again soon in Hieropolis.