EPHESUS 2011. DOESITEXIST?
PREHISTORY
I used to take a dim view of holidays inTurkey: notorious all-inclusive system, cheap alcohol, pilgrimage of tipsy Russian tourists, vegetable-like sun'n'surf entertainment and animators’forlorn attempts tobreathe life into this depressive picturemade me bored. I would like to say at once that I lost my skeptic feeling after a trip to Bodrum, which I made this year due to some set of circumstances. I would like to describe the opposite Turkey, not yet banalized by tourists.
When choosing the route of my trip I selectedBodrum– a world-known seaside resort, which fortunately is not so adored by fellow nationals as the unfortunateAntalya or Kemer. The advertising brochure informed that representatives of Turkish political and business elite prefer to spend holidays in Bodrum, Russians are only 15% of the tourists flow and here you can find ruins of one of the Seven Wonders of the World–the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. By the way,exactlythe last factor appeared to be deciding for me as for the person with historical education,attracted tofamous ruins.
A flash back. In far 1998 after coming back from my trip to Italy I decided to make a tattoo. In Krasnoyarsk they were not much popular that timemeanwhilemany changes were taking place in my life, as well as in the life of my country. The tattoo became kind of a symbol of these changes to me. I have always liked Versace logo trademark: Gorgon’s head and ornamental line, symbolizing infinity of everything happening. On the second day of my birthday,22.06.1998,I tattooed this symbol on my right shoulder. It is amazing but at that moment I could not imagine that many years later I will encounter this old Cretan ornament (whichGianni borrowed from the island history)in theplace absolutelyunexpected for me.
But let’s go back to Bodrum,where our plane landed in the local airport. To tell the truth, I imagined the tourist stronghold of the national political elite in a bit different way. A miserable littleairport,little white houses, dingy streets, worn-down roads here and there… But... luxurious hotels,yachts,posh vehicles and people in the restaurants dressed to kill. A total disbalance. The other expectations were satisfied: not many Russians, great Saint Peter fortress and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassusremains.
A week of holidays is not much time, only 7 days. But after 3 days I got bored withthe program “sea-beach" and famous night clubs of Bodrum–the city of wide-awake lights! One more day I spent with dolphins, the impressions were unforgettable! When you are swimming nearby, feeding and patting adolphin, you fall into a state close totrance. As if there is nothing in the world except for the sea, the sun, you and the dolphin. While swimming I suddenly remembered the tattoo and some facts from the history.The ancient pre-GreekCrete(Minoan and Mycenaeancivilization) was the most ancient centre of civilization in Europe.The palace of Minos, the labyrinth, theterra-cotta bath, theimages of dolphins… The Grand Goddess - the "mistress" of Crete, embodiment of feminine and maternity, the symbol of eternal nature renewal, and Poseidon, the god of sea...
One more day under the sun.The AegeanSea is just splendid, sufficiently chilling and clear with beautifulemerald color,but in spite of this it was beyond my endurance to sunbath the whole week.Andas I usually do, I decided to go for aguided tour,having chosen just one but the best one.ItookatriptothefamousEphesus.A classical Greek city, which fame got well over far abroad,attracted me as a magnet.
The guided tour
I bought a place in a group trip arranged by Coroll-tur Company and together with 20 fellow nationals I left forthe ancient city!Only 20 minutes later I realized the fatal mistake I had made when our bus stopped next to a shop with leather jackets and in one hour it stopped next to a jewellery workshop.It is my second trip to Turkeyso I am not a big expert in Turkish holidays...But belonging to the fashionindustry allowed me to make a level appraisal of what I saw.The leather goods were far from being of the best quality, the prices on jewellery just made me laugh. Three times more expensive than in Italian jewellery boutiques!
I would rather take a personal transfer! But the most irritating factor was the guide Anton who tried to tell the tourists about antique period in the Turkish history.I was spoon-fed with great tours in Italy and so I was shocked! I have never heard in my life such gibberish!It made no sense to get irritated therefore I started to note down someAnton’s historic slang statements. Let me quote some of them:
”Cleopatra with Mark Anthonyfooled away the western province of Rome”:)
”The Romansmade the sign of the cross with the left heel” :)
”And...Nostradamus–the inheritor of the Holy Roman Empire...”
There was no Internet available and it made no sense to listen to Anton so I had to rake my memory andrecollect the history ofancient Greece and Rome.
Ephesus
2-hours driving from Bodrum,a torture with leather clothes factory,Anton’s gibberish,and finally I was against the wall of the ancient city!Andat once I forgot everything!I am spoiled byarchitectural splendour of Rome,by the beauty of Venice and Florence,but I did not expect that I would be impressed so much by Ephesus!
It is huge even now,ruined butmajestic, enfolded in mystery and history secrets, no one can stay indifferent.
Crowds of tourists, the parking is full of buses, baking sun,majestic ruins and a 20-year-old boy guide! Who rehabilitated a bit and partially mentioned about the history of the ancient city.Someone could be satisfied with 4-hours simple tour,but not me!So when I came back home at once I started to read aboutEphesus and was surprised!There is very little data in the internet and it is poorly structured, it is boring and academic in the history textbooks,there is almost no data in the touristic guide-books.So I had a wish to find and arrange all together, let pass through myself and write...
EPHESUS 2011 – DOESITEXIST?
Ephesus or Ephesis a Karyan, Persian, Greek, Roman, Paganish and Christiancity, about one fifth dug out.It attracted attention of more than million tourists during 6 months in 2011. It is the greatest city from hundreds of ancient cities and classical ruins. The more it is dug out the more interesting details we getand the hotter discussions among archeologists, chronologists and guides occur, suggesting different approaches toEphesus enigmas!
The date of thecity foundationis still unknown. In had already been a large city when Rome wasjust a modest village. Itwasfirstmentionedabout 7,000 yearsago!However there are suggestions that it was founded 5,000 years ago by poorly studied Karyan tribes.
I succeeded to find the following interestinginformation afterweeks-long surfing the internet and skimming of reviews and scientific works.
"Originally the name of Crete island most certainly was "Karyt" where "Kar"is the name of ancient Lezgin tribe known as "the Karyans". Since the old days they inhabited this islandand probably they are the creators of theCretan culture (Minosian, after the name of Emperor Minos), who was considered to be the founder ofthe Cretan power..."
The name of the Turkish capitalisAnkara (=An+Kar),whereAn is a god’s name, Kar is the name ofLezgin tribe! If this information was performed by Anton then it would sound like this:
“The Karyans is one of the sea nations,which comes from ancient Crete. They founded the first Ephesus and now their grand grand … grandfathers govern in Ankara and follow Islam."
But let’s go back toEphesus. It is not very easy to understand history of this city not having historical education and not speaking English or Turkish. Today theEphesus ruins are located 3 kilometers fromSelcuk. This settlement appeared on the place of ancientEphesus, which citizens had to relocate 3 times due to retreat of the sea. As the sea used to play the leading role in the life of the trading city,Ephesusin the antique period was located on the west of a large trade route. Thus the leading port cities Millet and Kios were its trading competitors.
The sea played the key role in development, breakdownand in the whole history of the port city Ephesus. In the ancient period the sea retreated, came down to 57 meters and it became the reason for the fast breakdown of the region. Now it is located even further - six kilometers away from the walls of the ancient city.
If we put aside a little the complicated periodization assumed by the chronologists, then for better understanding of the history of Ephesus we can mark out three clear periods due to which the modern tourists can observe ancient buildings, streets, and sculptural arts.
EarlyorPersianEphesus
About 560 B.C.the city was conquered by Lydian Emperor Croesus. Soon after the war, absolutely unsuccessful for him, the city became a part of Persian Empire.
Greek or Hellenistic
The beginning of this period is assumed to be the III centuryB.C., more accurately 334 B.C., when the well-known Alexander the Great destroyed the Persian army and set free the Greek cities of Asia Minor, includingEphesus, which became a part of his unstable empire.After Alexander’s death and collapse of his empire, as the result of continued wars Ephesusregularly fell under protectorate of different countriesand dynasties until it occurred at the turn of Anno Domini under the reign of Roman Republic.
The Golden Age or Roman period in the history of the city
Cruel discipline of metropolis spread together with itsachievements on theEphesus lovers of liberty. Taxes, grabbing, tolls…Citizens of Ephesus went through everything, trying to get independence from Rome. But as the result of useless struggle against powerful Rome, in 27B.C. during Emperor Augustus regimen the city became the capital of Roman province of Asia. In consequence of this Ephesusdeveloped fast and population increased to 250,000 people (400-500,000 people according to Wikipedia). The city became the outpost of Rome on the east and the second one after Alexandria, and also one of the largest and most important cities in theEmpire after Rome.
For the last ten years I have been in love with Rome with its antique heritage. I was amazed by its splendour, spirit, history, but it all became obscured when I saw Ephesus for the first time! After the trip I questioned myself: why I was stunned byEphesusmore than Rome?
The answer is obvious.This city remains a whole city, not as separate parts. After RomanColosseum we can see Saint Peter’s temple, Trevi fountain and contemporary city with urban soundsand designs. InEphesusyou dive 100% into antique history and the surrounding nature and silencepromote deeperunconscious perception of the ancientcity! Amazing hills, sun, blue sky, wild bushes here and there, fresh air and antique ruins make you forget about objective reality with its endless problems. You enjoy only what you see in frontof you – a grand forefathers’ legacy. The internet and textbooks’ information about what I remembered and liked most of all is something a little bit different.
Celsuslibrary
Certainly it is the primary sightseeing attraction in Ephesus, which was restored from fragments byAustrian archeologists in 1970-1978in compliance with the original.
ConsulCelsus–was the governor of Asia, Roman province, and was eternalizedin this architectural masterpiece. Female statues on thebuilding face symbolize such his merits asmoral virtues, good faith, accomplishment, and wisdom.
TiberiusJuliusCelsusdied at the age of 70, and in 114 he was placed insarcophagus next to the entrance to Ephesus agora. His son started construction of the libraryon the grave of his father but he got sickand anticipating deathmade a will for his own son to finish thelibrarythat isfor Consul Celsus’sgrandson. The grandson finished it in 125 A.D.
This unique building was at once a hugereading hall and sepulchral monument over the grave of the father and grandfather! About 12,000parchment rolls were kept in the library, at that time each of them costed a fortune. The manuscripts were placed in three-storied niches and were protected against humidity due to sophisticated system of double walls.
Celsus grave is under the library. One should go down the stairs and go 15 meters further. A small marble sarcophagus decorated witheffigies of goddess Nike, Erosand...Gorgon (the favorite symbol ofGianniVersace). So one can conclude that nothing human was alien to the Consul.
The huge building of the library (21 meters long, 16 meters high) with skyward columns strikes with indelible impression. The fascinating monument of architecture decorated with sculptural arts and bas-reliefsputs tourists into a"photo-making trance" with its splendour, sophistication, andbeauty at the same time! I was in the same condition taking pictures till the crack of doom of the surrounding beautyand I thought about great son’s loveand about outstanding Consul-father, about love due to which we can admire this antiquechef-d'oeuvre and rememberthe name ofTiberiusJuliusCelsusmade it into history!
Alas but already in 265 A.D. as the Goths’ attack result the library washarried, destroyed and burnt down, but barbarous Goths took mercyon Consul’s grave and son’s memory about his father.
A den to the left?
Today Ephesus is a center of the touristic area of the Aegean Sea coast, where numerous foreign tourists arrive daily. But in spite of this Turkey does not treat properly archaeological heritage of the antiqueperiod. In the country of cheap tourism and beach holidays I did not notice respect to antiquity! Archeology is included into the program ofsevere saving, and it is not a secret thatTroy and Ephesuswere found and dug out by foreigners, аndthe digging was invested not by Turkish government but mostly by privateforeign investors.
The new course restoration appeared in Turkish universities just a few years ago.There are not many professionalchronologists and archeologistsinTurkey. Historical science develops rather random, scientific works often are liketouristic guides but not researches of specialists.
My trip with Anton in Ephesus lasted for 3 hours but itslipped away as 5 minutes. I could always hear foreign speech, mostly Italian, but there was only one Russian group - our group! I could not believe that it isTurkey and the Greek Aegean Sea is close...
As I already noted above, the sea played the key role in the development and historyof the port cityEphesus. Every day merchants were coming to the depraved Mediterranean port which was the centre of worship topaganish goddess Artemis and the place of spreading Christianity in Asia. On the local market (Agora) they exchanged their goods intoother goods brought from central Anatoly bytrade caravans.
Walking 530 meters along the port street down to the market, having sold or exchanged the goods, having finished the business matters in Agora, the antiquemerchants as well as modern men were seeking for rest and pleasure. At those times they had two options: either to go to the right and touch the luxury (i.е. reading the parchment rolls) inCelsuslibrary or to go to the left into thebawdyhouse, which now remains only with its poor ruins. But exactly these ruins cause vehement debates betweenchronologists, archeologists and guides, is it a brothel? Or is it a two-storied house of a rich citizen ofEphesus? Iamforthefirstoptionandmyopinionisbasedonthefollowingfacts:
- Three women sitting around a table with drinks are shown on the mosaic.
- In the dining room there are four female portraits, which supposedlystand for 4 seasons of the year.
- Exactly in this building there were found erotic statues and the most affaire souvenir fromBodrumis a strange god or demonwith a very large dick!
- In the toilets there were found signs (written messages) determining this place.
- In the beginning of Marble Road there was founda signpost, where thebrothel was expressed by symbols and by the phrase "Follow me" and an image of a woman!
What other proves do chronologists require? In my opinion, history is rendered in order to pleasemorals, preferring not tonotice the obvious things! In factEphesusis especially much sought after byCatholic and Orthodox as the earlyChristian city whereApostle Paul preached! By the way,about the morals ...citizens of Roman Ephesus also enjoyed life, and that is proved by last digging results where there was found asubway between the library and the House with an image of a female! Please, tell me, why evenprosperous Ephesus citizen would secretly visita freelibrary?
In the internet I was able to find the following data on this issue. Let me render it to Anton’s language...
”…antiqueguys were henpecked, and as thebrothel was located on a public view, they could nothing but search for entertainment in thelibrary…” ;
”…their wives, not the worst damned wretches, could at the first suspicion poison the husband (this fact was proved bychronologists)”.