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Ancient Ionian Greek city; its ruins lie
near the modern village of Selcuk in W
Turkey. It was situated south of the
Cayster River, and was the site of the
Temple of Artemis. Traditionally founded
by the Carians, it was one of the 12
Ionian Cities and was involved in the
Persian and Peloponnesian wars. It was
taken by Alexander the Great c.334 BC
and prospered throughout the Hellenistic
period. It passed to Rome in 133 BC;
under Augustus it became the capital of
the Roman province of Asia. It was an
early seat of Christianity, visited by
St. Paul, and the recipient of the
Epistle to the Ephesians. The Goths
destroyed the city and temple in AD 262;
neither ever recovered. There are
extensively excavated ruins at the
modern site. |
