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Ephesus

Page history last edited by George Pullman 13 years ago

Ephesus was a part of both the ancient Greek and Roman empires and was one of the largest cities of both empires. Today it lies within modern Turkey. The strategically located city gained prosperity due to its port (extensive trade) and roads connecting it to other prominent cities (Smyrna, Rome, Alexandria). Although many rhetorical scholars acknowledge the importance of this city in antiquity, it appears to be primarily studied by ecclesiastical historians and theologians.

Although the sophists traveled a great deal, many were based out of major cities in Asia Minor, in particular Smyrna and Ephesus, “which were rivals” (Kennedy 561). There were two primary trends among sophists: there is the “Attic” style and the “Asianist” style. Philostratus calls the elaborate and ornamented style of the latter ‘dithyrambic’ and ‘Ionian’ and says it flourished especially at Ephesus” (Kennedy 563). Some have suggested that the Ionian style was more appealingly sophisticated, and that the second sophistic “promot[ed] Atticism at the expense of ‘Asianism’” (Whitmarsh). Some sources indicate that this Asianist style was an elegant flourish, while others (and perhaps the majority) seem to indicate that this was excessive and in bad taste. Theon noted that this style exhibited meter and rhythm and unnecessarily complicated prose in the tradition of its presumed founder “Hegesias of Magnesia.” This appears to be the more dominant interpretation of this style--somewhat pompous and bombastic redundancy (Kennedy 61-62, 97-100): “Cicero explains that there are two kinds of Asianism: one epigrammatic and brilliant with utterances not so much weighty and serious as neat and charming. The other kind is swift and impetuous, characterized not only by a torrent of speech, but by ornamentation and fine language... In the Brutus, Cicero thinks of it as a manner of speech used by certain orators and with certain weaknesses, but in itself it is not a term of reproach. It is, however, the counterpart of Atticism, and among the first century partisans of the latter it fast became a term of reproach.” (98) Critics emphasize the artificiality of this kind of prose. Kennedy observes that there was no organized “school” or unified theory of Asianism; rather, it is primarily used in contradistinction to Atticism. It is also worth noting that this style was termed “Ionian” or “Ephesian” not only because the style originated in this region, but more importantly because it originated outside of Athens. Regardless, Philostratus criticizes this form of oratory as falling short of truly effective eloquence. Kennedy observes that although Cicero also scorns the overly passionate and sing-song delivery, he is somewhat more lax than others, calling it “forgivable in the young,” because he himself may be considered guilty of some floridity in his early declamations (100).

Ephesus was known for the ancient cult of the goddess Artemis. The Temple of Artemis, destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, is one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.” Artemis was a goddess of fertility. The city’s devotion to Artemis is recounted in the New Testament account of an episode of stoning the Apostle Paul for his attempt to convert the city to monotheism. The city of Ephesus was important to early Christianity. The Apostle Paul wrote one of his epistles to this city, and another while jailed within this city. In the fifth century there were three ecumenical councils of Ephesus that were called to debate critical ecclesiastical controversies of the time (though some scholars indicate that these councils were more likely politicized attempts to gain dominance in the region). These councils are said to have kept a strictly monitored written account of the proceedings in order to present the appearance of a unified front (Bowersock, “Late Antiquity”). The Basilica of Saint John is also located here and is thought by some to be the tomb of John the Apostle; there is also the tomb of the “Seven Sleepers” (these tombs hold various saints of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and respected persons of the Muslim faith). There are many legends that blend with historical accounts of the developing Christian Church in Ephesus; included among these are various “miracles” recognized by certain sects.

Famous residents of Ephesus include the early philosopher Heraclitus, “the weeping philosopher,” who was known for an emphasis on reason and change (and was thought to influence the Stoic tradition), and Xenophon of Ephesus who wrote a book (thought to be a precursor to the novel) called Ephesian Romance, a story of two beautiful young lovers who vow to commit suicide if they cannot be with one another, which some consider to have had a significant influence on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Another of Shakespeare’s plays, Comedy of Errors, explores mistaken identities in the city of Ephesus and has been examined more extensively in literary studies.

Information for additional research:

Summary of Xenophon of Ephesus’s Ephesian Romance: http://www.chss.montclair.edu/classics/petron/xenophon.html

Clive Foss, Ephesus After Antiquity: A Late Antique, Byzantine and Turkish City

Info from Turkish travel site http://www.turizm.net/cities/ephesus/:

Places to visit:

The Gymnasium of Vedius

The Stadium

Roman Bourse or double church of the Virgin Mary

The Arcadiane

The Theatre

The Marble Way

The Gate of Mazaeus and Mithridates