Day 1,441

Ephesus

As Tom and I have cycled through Turkey we've passed many tourist sites. Loads of beach-side towns, lined with hotels, campsites and restaurants but lacking one key ingredient, tourists. We wondered where they all were, and well today we found out. 

They were at Ephesus. Built in the 10th century BC, during the classical Greek era it was one of the 12 cities that made up the Ionian League. The Romans took charge in 129 BC. Nearby is the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the temple of Artemis. The city itself houses the remains of many important buildings, such as the Library of Celsus and a theatre capable of seating 24,000 people. Just think about that figure, around the same time only about 30,000 lived in London, yet this city needed a theatre to house such large numbers.

The Gospel of John is said to have been written here. Ephesus was a recipient city of one of the Pauline epistles. In terms of a place of importance to the Christian faith it is a major destination. Alexander the Great spent time here, Cleopatra visited with Mark Antony, her sister is buried here. So, a lot happened here and despite the Goths burning it down, its access to the sea silting up, a few earthquakes over the years so much still remains. We were able to wander along the streets just as so many have over its history. We could gaze at the theatre, still in use to this day, don't you just love that? I do, it's what it was built for, let's use it.  

When we arrived we debated staying away until the following morning. There were coaches everywhere, clearly thousands would be inside. In the end we braved the multitudes, I can't deny we'd have preferred fewer people but it did give us a taste of what it would have been like in Roman times. We even spotted Cleopatra and Co watching a couple of Gladiators have a fight. Over the next few days we hope to visit some equally impressive sites, but maybe with fewer tourists.