The Stadion

     It was situated on the Northwestern foothills of Mount Pion ( Panayır Dağı) on the path leading to Seljuk from from the Koresos gate of Ephesus. When first constructed there was seating on the southern hillside, a running course in front and a Hellenistic apse on its western side. The Roman Stadium was constructed by C. Stertinius Orpex, a freed slave, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero (54-68 A.D.) and it was then transformed into a monumental structure with aid from a foundation. While the Stadium was being turned into a monumental structure,  a very large chamber, a vaulted infrastructure and seating benches on the southern side. There were interior stairs leading to this seating area. The high northern front, constructed of ashlar masonry, had a monumental appearance. The arched Gates of the magnificent western front led to the tunnels beneath the seating benches. Beside the running course there were bossed orthostatic panels and the track had a floor of pressed earth and was approximately 180 m. long and the stadium could hold 30.000-people. İt is not certainly known how the elliptical area (sphendone=pit area) leading to the corner in the east was used during its first phase. Athletics, chariot races and gladiatorial games were held in Stadium. After the earthquake of 262 A.D., even though the southern gate and the western side were repaired, it is thought that the Stadium was greatly damaged after the eartquakes of 356 and 366. In the 5th century a church on the western end of the northern tunnel was added, only the entrance atrium was exposed in excavations and graveyard was created around this church. This late phase of use continue at least until the 12th century.

The Temple of Serapeion

          The Temple of Serapeion was located in a termenos in the foothills of Mount Bülbül to the West of the Tetragonos Agora. The temenos of the temple was surrounded with two-storey columns and was on a terrace orientated in a North-south direction built on top of Late Hellenistic structures at the beginning of the 2nd century A.D. in part carved into the bedrock and in partupon infill material. As no inscription was found in the excavations, to which particular god this temple was dedicated is not certainly known. It was first called a Monumental Fountain (Nymphaion), then the Temple of Claudius; however in 1926 it was called the Serapeion and front that date it has been referred to by this name. In the 2nd century it was constructed as a temple resembling a pro-style with podiums and was devastated in the fire that broke out during the earthquake in the 4th century A.D., and was then converted into a small church during the reign of Emperor Theodosius l. It stood on an eight columned porch, a landing and stairs of two levels. One-pieces columns, 14-15 m. high carried Corinthian column capitals. It had three entraces below its richly ornamented pediment. The main entrace to the tepmle was on the narrow side in the North; but the temple could also be entered through the magnificent stairs from West Street. Begining in Late Antiquity other stairs from the southwestern side of the Agora provided direct entrance to the temple. There were six small niches on the long wall of the Naos and there were small niches on the both sides of the large niche in the middle of the southern wall that held the religious statue. Water channels passed beneath the niches on the inner walls of Naos. The water flowing from the vertical cracks in the large niches was led out via the channel in the floor. The extensive use of water in this temple indicates worship in the temple was connected to a Goddness Of Health. There were five niches outside the Naos walls The trace remains of two bronze statues found during the excavations on the northeastern side of the temenos Show this temple endowed with rich decorations. The rear wall of the stoa, at least on the ground floor, was covered in marble panels, positioned in accordance with the columns in the front and was divided into sections by wall supports which had postaments with relief and Corinthian capitals.

The Harbour Baths

     This grand complex, in the North of Arkadiane Street, consisted of a bath, a gymnasium and a sports area. It was planned symmetrically along an east-west axis. Constructed started in the period of Domitianus; it was reconstructed after earthquake damage in 262 A.D. and it was finally complated in the 4th century A.D. “ Atrium termarum Constantianarum” is recoded on an inscription here, which is why this baths is called the “Baths of Constantius”. There is an entrance into a monumental court dating from Late Antiquity from the three- gate entrance in Arkadiane Street. Opposite the entrance to the South is an exedra adorned with statues. A pool was constructed in front of the exendra in Late Antiquity. There is a 45 m. entrance section in front of the bath. This structure was surrounded on three sides by a peristyle with mosaic pedestals. A large quantity of resued marble was employed in the pavement of the court. The relief elements of the Monment of Parth were amongst the reused materials. The stairs on the northern side, with two wreathed columns, opened into a hall. Right next to the stairs there was a fountain basin decorated with bull capitals on top and garlands between them. The aitrium by the side of the door has a three-naved plan. The outher walls of the atrium were separated into sections by brick pillars. The atrium provided entrance to the bath section to the North and the bath section was arranged symmetrically. There were three long spaces in the east of the bath. In the middle section there was the section (Frigidarium) with a huge, cold water pool (Natatio) inside and there were the adjacent rooms for dressing and resting (Apodyterium). There was an entrance from the cold section into the warm section (Tepidarium), and to the three central chambers amongst the nine in the middle section of the bath. The hot section (Caldarium) was a large chamber,  which stood on an outer ledge on the western front of the bath. It had large Windows facing West and six hot water pools in the niches on the wall. The three chambers on boths sides of the warm section (Tepidarium) were used for ball games, boxing, gymnastics, cosmetic work, body care and massage. The large number of insitu fixing elements on the walls and the floor of the chambers indicates they were covered by marble revetments. The bath was heated with hot air circulating under the pavement, termed a “Hypocaust”.

The Church of Mary

     The small path on the right side of the exist gate of Ephesus leads you to the Church of Mary. In the 4th century A.D. a church complex 145 m. long was constructed on the western side of the southern Stoa of Olympieion. It was the first church to be constructed in the name of the Virgin Mary. This church was used as an educational center for Ephesian Christian clergymen. The church and the additions made to it were constructed on top of an already extant long structure. According to an inscription here, this structure had for a long time been a school of medicine, although some archeologists think this structure was not the school of medicine but was a basilica of three naves. The church that was dedicated to Mary underwater many phases of construction. In the first construction phase there were an atrium, resembling a peristle, where the pedestals were covered with inscriptions dating from the Roman Imperial period, a cross-wise narthex and a three naved church, with the middle nave supported by 40 columns on the West side of the church. On the east edge of the middle nave there was a large apse, constructed of ashlar masonry from the Roman Stoa. There were pastophorion chambers on both sides of the apse, where ritual objects were stored. On the northern side of the atrium there was a niched baptistery of octagonal shape with a baptism chamber coveredin marble resembling a “tholos”, and a pool was added to this structure,  constructed in the middle of the floor for the baptism of adults. The church, which was demolished in the eartquakes of 557 A.D. was then rebuilt with great changes. In this second phase, the eastern part of the church, whose columns were removed and separated in the middle, was turned into a basilica with a narrow narthex and columns. The western part of the church was rebuilt in a very different way.

 

     The church constructed of bricks had narrow side-naves, a low vault supported by elephant feet and a dome over the middle nave. There were pastophorions on both sides of the apse end, appering like chapels next to the middle nave. An inner narthex (ezonarthex) was added to the western side; consequently a collection of religious buildings were erected, the eastern side was given to the Bishop, the western side to the congregation. The Bishop’s Church was used until it was sacked by Muslim raiders in 654/5., However, it is understood from the doors opening to the apse od the brick church that it served as a graveyard until the 11th century and there was a graveyard on the northern side until the 14th century, so this area didnt entirely lose its function and association with Christianity. It began being used as a graveyard during the second construction phase in the second half of the 6th century. From research it is known that only the Bishops were buried in the narthex on the eastern side. Later a large graveyard was created, not only inside the brick structure but also on the outside. The continued use of this cementary into the 14th century shows the Christians were able to continue using their sanctuaries in Ephesus, even after Ephesus came under the rule of the Aydınoğulları Emitare. On the 22nd of June 431 a Council gathered in this church and 195 Bishops participated in this Council where, amongst other issues, the divine and human nature of Jesus Christ was discussed, and it is certain that the Church of Ephesus, which earned a good reputation for housing the deliberations of this Ecumenical Council, was the Church of Mary. At this Council the question as to wheather Mary was the Mother of God or not was put forward for discussion and the Bishop of Constantinople (ıstanbul), Nestorius, stirred up a hornet’s nest and was excommunicated when he said that Jesus Chist was not the son of God but merely a good man. The Patriarch of Alexandria, Cyrillus (Cyril), defended the understanding that Jesus Christ had one personality but two entities and that Mary was actually the Mother of God. In conclusion, the views of Cyrillus were favored and the theology that stated Jesus Christ had a divine form and Mary was the Mother of God were confirmed by this Ecumenical Council. Recent research indicates the Chiristian structures were constructed in this place after 431 and that the whole of the Council or just a part of it may have taken place in the adapted stoa; as at that time this was not yet the Church of Mary. The Council records, compiled at a considerably later date, that indicate the Council gathered in a place called the Church of Mary, conflict with the archaeological evidence and this will only be resolved after the thorough examination of the latest philological and archeological evidence. (In 1967 Pope Paul IV, who visited Ephesus, prayed in this church.)

The Theatre Gymnasium

     This is the Bath-Gymnasium stucrute lying North of the Theatre Court, at the begining of Arcadius Street. It has a 70×30 m. palaedtra (wrestling) court surrounded on three sides by stoa, whose podiums were covered in marble. A tribüne, consisting of four rows of seating stairs was constructed on the northern side of the Gymnasium. A slightly pitched area was added to the tribüne, constructed for the standing audience on the side facing the Baths. Because it was very close tothe theatre and its palaestra had a stadium, this structure is thought to have been used to train the theatre actors; and in consequence it was named “ The Theatre Gymnasium”. There was a bath complex just behind the tribüne North of the Gymnasium. The excavation of this baths has begun but remains incomplete. There were lines of rooms on the southern and northern sides of this bath complex. The rooms on the southern side of the Bath were dressing rooms (Apodyterium); a hot bathing section (Calidarium) and hot water pools. The rooms were slightly larger than the order rooms, which were in the middle of the Baths. The Bath had a long U-shaped area (warm section- Tepidarium), which was for recreation and visiting in the outer area of the northern and southern rooms of the Baths. The second U shaped area inside the Bathwas called the cold section (Frigidarium) and in the middle section there was a swimming pool (Nation). The Baths was heated through the hot air that circulated under the paved floor, the system termed a “Hypocaust”.

The Arkadiane (Harbour Street)

          This marble Street that extends from the theatre to the harbor is 11 meters wide and 528 meter long (equal to 1.800 foot or 3 stadion). This Street was an importance structure of the city, as from the Early Roman Period many kings, emperors, council from other cities and merchants coming by sea to Ephesus were officially greeted here. There is also a huge sewage channel under this Street, which comes from the Marble Street and extends to the harbor. This Street established in the Early Roman period, was restored after the earthquakes of 359-366 A.D. by Emperor Arkadius(395-408A.D.)with reused materials and the stoas on both sides of the Street were rebuilt. It is known that there was Street lighting on the Arkadiane in the 5th century A.D. The Street starts with a gate and ends in another gate. In the 6th century A.D. there was a structure in the middle of the Street, constructed of four great columns, situated randomly on square pedestals with stairs. The 2 m. high circular pedestals adorned with the symbols of Christianity are decorated with niches and columns on the sides. There are columns postaments, a grand column and a column capital on top of the circular pedestals. It is thought that there were statues of the four Evangelists on top of these four columns capitals. Thus the Christianity of the Ephesians was demonstrated to visitors to the city who arrived at the harbor.

The Hellenistic Fountain

     The fountain is by the side of the Theatre Court, North of the stage structure. It is the best preserved Hellenistic work of art in Ephesus. It was constructed from marble blocks and side fountain were turned into anta walls and completed with anta capitals. Two fluted columns with Ionic capitals were placed between the anta wall as supports. There was an architrave with fascia over the capitals. The architrave carried a dentil border and the line of the cornice on the exterior and a slabbed marble roof on the inside. In the inscription on one of the columns it is recorded that the, “water here was brought from Great Marnas River”. The water brought via pipes, poured into the pool through the three lion heads on the marble rear wall. The front of the fountain is simply decorated, with only the Ionic capitals. This fountain erected by the side of an important court of the city must have ben decorated with painwork, as was the case for many other structures. During the Roman period, this simple Hellenistic structure was extended by 2 meters to the front and two columns were added to its porch facing the road.