EPHESUS

EPHESUS. One of the largest cities and great ports of the Roman Empire (q.v.), its ruins are located on the southern Aegean near the modern Turkish city, Selcuk. As the capital of the Proconsular Province of Asia Minor (q.v.) in the New Testament era, Ephesus was famous for one of the “Seven Wonders of the World,” the great temple of Artemis (or Diana) built in 330 B.C. Ephesus was also one of the most important cities of the ancient church, linked for example to the Apostle Joh n and the labors of Paul (Acts 18–19; Eph), and is one of the seven churches addressed in Rev (ch. 2). It was later the site of the Third Ecumenical Council (q.v.), which probably took place in the double church near the theater, the remains of which are still visible today. Its dominance over Asia Minor was, however, superceded by the rise to prominence of Constantinople (q.v.) at the close of the 4th c.