Bible Geography · Asia Minor (modern Turkey) · c. 1000 BC – AD 1400
Ephesus
Description
Ephesus was a prosperous port city on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor and one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire with a population estimated at over 200,000. It was home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and served as the capital of the Roman province of Asia.
Significance
Ephesus was the hub of Paul's three-year ministry in Asia and became one of the most important churches in early Christianity. John is traditionally believed to have lived there and cared for Mary the mother of Jesus. The letter to the Ephesians presents some of Paul's most profound theology on the church.
Key Events
Paul's three-year ministry (Acts 20:31); the riot of the silversmiths sparked by the gospel's impact on Artemis worship (Acts 19:23–41); Timothy's pastoral ministry in Ephesus; one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation 2.
Modern Context
The ruins of ancient Ephesus are one of Turkey's most visited archaeological sites, near the modern town of Selçuk. The Library of Celsus and the grand theater are well preserved. A single column marks the site of the once-magnificent Temple of Artemis.