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Port of Kusadasi
Kelly just recently returned from a Mediterranean cruise raving over her experiences. One of the sights she found really fascinating was the ancient ruined city of Ephesus in Turkey.
Ephesus has a history stretching back thousands of years, well into ancient times, and historians have traced its annals back over 3000 years. At its peak, the population of this city reached between 400,000 and 500,000 in about 100 A.D., making it the second largest city in the Roman Empire. In addition to its importance in Roman history, the city also figured prominently in the political affairs of the Greek and Ottoman Empires and was the site of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the Temple of Artemis (Diana). Although the Temple of Artemis had been rebuilt several times, only one column remains to the present day.
Ephesus survived being sacked by Goths in 263 A.D. and being partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614. The silting over of the Cayster River removed Ephesus from access via the Mediterranean and its importance gradually faded to obscurity. It was abandoned completely in the 15th century.
Ephesus today contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the Eastern Mediterranean, even though only about 20% of the city has currently been excavated. Kelly was awestruck by the marble and limestone remains of this ancient city. The Theater has an approximate capacity of 44,000, making it the largest outdoor theater in the modern world, the Library of Celsus once held 12,000 scrolls, there is a large gladiator graveyard, the Temples of Hadrian and Domitian, aqueducts and public Roman baths. Kelly’s tour guide explained the function and usage of a puzzling series of holes cut into the marble. This was a public toilet where the men of the city came to meet and do their business. The seats were first warmed by their slaves and then these wealthy men would come and sit while they were entertained by harp players. How times have changed!
All the major cruiselines feature port stops to the city of Kusadasi in Turkey’s Izmir province and access to Ephesus. If you are considering a cruise to the Mediterranean, be sure to look for an itinerary featuring the awe-inspiring time capsule of ancient history in Ephesus.
Check out our 13 Night Mediterranean or 23 Night Mediterranean Packages that visit the port of Kusadasi!
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