Ephesus

We continued our tour for the day to Ephesus.

Ephesus:  Legend has it that Androchus of Ionia needed to find a new home for his people who were being persecuted.  He visited the oracle of Delphi who told him he would find the place for his new city thanks to three elements--a fish, a fire,and a wild boar.  After a long journey, he was tired and famished.  He cooked up fresh fish for supper over a campfire.  The fish was so fresh , it jumped out of the pan into the fire.  This caused the fire to burn the nearby forest.  A wild boar ran out of the forest to escape the fire, and it was chased by Androchus.  The spot where he killed the boar is where he set up his city, Ephesus. This a Greco-Roman archaeological site that still has the original road from the port to the city centre.  You can see the chariot tracks in the road. This city had the third largest library of ancient times--a beautiful building--with 12,000 scrolls stored in its niches.. This site also contained one of the largest amphitheaters of the era.  It seated 15,000 people; but as the city grew, the Romans increased the size to hold 25,000 people.

Agora (Market)

Roman sewer pipe

Medical sign

Astrolgical sign--Ram

Toilets

Walkway in front of wealthy homes

Library

Equipment used to build the tall structures

First form of advertising?? It reads:  if you have a broken heart and you need the company of  a beautiful woman, and  privacy, and have money, the brothel is on the left side of the street.

Amphitheater

We were taken to a leather manufacturer  and they put on a fashion show.  At one point, a couple of ladies from our tour group were picked to walk the runway modelling  jackets.  

Playing on the slide

Many of the places we visited during our travels this year have significance to Christianity as areas where the apostles, Jesus, and Mary either stayed or preached, or were part of the Old Testament.

Our next stop will be Pamukkale--known for healing thermal pools.