Ephesus: Curetes Street
The second stop on our ''Highlights of Ephesus'' sightseeing excursion was the Ephesus Archaeological Site (Efes Ören Yeri). We entered through upper (south) gate, and began our sightseeing near the State Agora before proceeding along Curetes Street, which extends from Domitian Square to the Library of Celsus. Here, visitors make their way down Curetes Street toward the Library of Celsus. Marble columns line either side of the street; and at the far right is a (currently headless) statue that was erected during the Byzantine era to honor a female doctor who rendered great services to the citizens Ephesus.
A few details on this ancient road:
Curetes Street
During the Roman Empire period, Ephesus was home to a number of curates, or embolos -- priests who were involved in religious and state affairs, and who tended the sacred fire at the Prytaneion or Municipality Palace. Along the marble-paved street that stretched between Domitian Square and the Library of Celsus, there were a series of columns with the names of curates inscribed along the base. These inscriptions gave the street its name. Shops, fountains, and sculptures lined both sides of the street, while a series of terrace houses climbed the slope behind the south side of Curetes Street.
Brief History of Ephesus:
Ephesus -- known as Ἔφεσος in Greek and Efes in Turkish -- was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia. It was originally established in the 10th century B.C. by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. Ephesus flourished after it came under Roman control in 129 B.C., during which time it is estimated to have had a population of 33,500 to 56,000 people. It was renowned for its splendid architecture, including the Temple of Artemis (circa 550 B.C.), which was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World until it was destroyed during a Goth raid in 268 A.D. During the Byzantine era (395-1308), Emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city and erected new public baths. The city was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 A.D. and was later sacked by Arabs during the mid 600s and early 700s. Its role as a commercial center declined as its harbor was slowly silted up by the Cayster River and the town lost its trade access to the Aegean Sea. Ephesus eventually fell under Turkish control; after a brief period of renewed prosperity and building during the early 14th century, the city was eventually abandoned by the 15th century. Excavations of the site were conducted by British archaeologists in the 1860s-70s, and later by German and Austrian architects in the 1890s. Today, the Austrian Archaeological Institute still continues ongoing conservation and restoration of Ephesus.
Ephesus: Curetes Street
The second stop on our ''Highlights of Ephesus'' sightseeing excursion was the Ephesus Archaeological Site (Efes Ören Yeri). We entered through upper (south) gate, and began our sightseeing near the State Agora before proceeding along Curetes Street, which extends from Domitian Square to the Library of Celsus. Here, visitors make their way down Curetes Street toward the Library of Celsus. Marble columns line either side of the street; and at the far right is a (currently headless) statue that was erected during the Byzantine era to honor a female doctor who rendered great services to the citizens Ephesus.
A few details on this ancient road:
Curetes Street
During the Roman Empire period, Ephesus was home to a number of curates, or embolos -- priests who were involved in religious and state affairs, and who tended the sacred fire at the Prytaneion or Municipality Palace. Along the marble-paved street that stretched between Domitian Square and the Library of Celsus, there were a series of columns with the names of curates inscribed along the base. These inscriptions gave the street its name. Shops, fountains, and sculptures lined both sides of the street, while a series of terrace houses climbed the slope behind the south side of Curetes Street.
Brief History of Ephesus:
Ephesus -- known as Ἔφεσος in Greek and Efes in Turkish -- was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia. It was originally established in the 10th century B.C. by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. Ephesus flourished after it came under Roman control in 129 B.C., during which time it is estimated to have had a population of 33,500 to 56,000 people. It was renowned for its splendid architecture, including the Temple of Artemis (circa 550 B.C.), which was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World until it was destroyed during a Goth raid in 268 A.D. During the Byzantine era (395-1308), Emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city and erected new public baths. The city was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 A.D. and was later sacked by Arabs during the mid 600s and early 700s. Its role as a commercial center declined as its harbor was slowly silted up by the Cayster River and the town lost its trade access to the Aegean Sea. Ephesus eventually fell under Turkish control; after a brief period of renewed prosperity and building during the early 14th century, the city was eventually abandoned by the 15th century. Excavations of the site were conducted by British archaeologists in the 1860s-70s, and later by German and Austrian architects in the 1890s. Today, the Austrian Archaeological Institute still continues ongoing conservation and restoration of Ephesus.