Some sources say that the city was founded by the Amazons in the 3rd millenium BC. The Amazons were a race of woman warriors who lived in Anatolia. We see the mention of Amazons in the epic of Iliad and Odyssey by Homer. According to Epic of Odyssey,Amazons fought with the Trojans against the Mycenaeans and Spartans in the Trojan War.
At  that time, their queen was killed by the Achaean hero Achilles. According to the legend, Amazons were furious women fighterswho did not like men but used men for fertility reasons. Sources say that “Ephesos” was derived from the name of asuccessful Amazon queennamed as Apasas.

In 11th century BC, Dor invaders coming from North, Macedonia migrated to mainland Greece and drive off the inhabitants to migrate. Among the minorities Ionians, Aeolians and some of the Dors migrated to western Asia Minor. Ionians were in Ephesusand surrounding. They founded 12 major new cities such as Miletus, Priene, Colophon..etc.

Ephesus became an important port city in the 6th century BC. The city extended around where the Temple of Artemis stands today. Ephesus was under Lydian and Persian rule till 4th century BC. Afterwards the famous Commander Alexander the Great conquered the city from Persians. After his death, one of his  generals and successors Lysimachos ruled the city. During his time, the alluvial  deposits carried by Kaystros river silted the harbor and constantly rising sea level submerged the old settlement and made the harbor impassable. The  unfavorable condition of the harbor affected trade. Ephesus was located on low ground, and was completely flooded by the sea. A new enriched settlement including Gymnasiums, stadiums, fountains… is ordered by Lysimachos. The reasons for the new conception of the city were, the rise in level of the ground water, and the necessity of a new harbor due to silting. Inhabitants were  transferred to the new city where it stands today; between two hills Preon and  Pion. The new city followed the grid plan set down by Hypodomos of Miletus: the  streets crossing each other at right angles. The plots, buildings appears as a chess board when viewed from the air.

In 2nd century BC Ephesus sided with Antiochus, the king of Syria against the Romans. After the defeat at Magnesia (Manisa) which is 100 miles north of  Ephesus. Ephesus went under the rule of the King of Pergamon, an ally of Rome.  After the Kings death, it became a Roman city. During the reign of Roman Emperor Antonius Pius, the city bore the title of “the first and greatest metropolis of  Asia.“

The peak times of Ephesus were during Hellenistic and Roman times. Ephesus, the jewel of Ionia, the largest Metropolis of Asia Minor, consisted of 200.000 citizens and 25.000 slaves (2nd century AD). During the feast days honoring Artemis, the population tripled. The city became the capital of Province Asia during the Roman Emperor Augustus in 2nd century AD. During this time Ephesus became a center for Art & Culture and a meeting place for Philosophy. The most famous  philosopher from Ephesus isHeraklitos who lived at 4th century BC. In 2nd century AD many  marble buildings were build and the streets were decorated with marble statues.

Although sacked by the Goths in 263 AD, Ephesus remained the most important city of the Byzantine Empire after Constantinoplein the 5th and 6th centuries. However, other destructions by the Arabs in the year 8th century AD caused a quick decline: the city was largely abandoned when the harbor completely filled in with river silt despite repeated dredges during the city’s history. The silt removed its access to the Aegean Sea. When the Seljuk Turks conquered it in 11th century, it was a small village. The Byzantines resumed control in 1100 and kept control of the region until the end of the 13th century.  During  Byzantine period the major settlement was in its first place at Ayasoluk (Hagios  Theologos) Hill. Emir of Aydin, a Turkish state conquered the city in 14th century. Starting from 16th century, the city lost its importance and ruled by the Ottoman  Empire.

Ephesus was an important center for early Christianity. Ephesus is vividly alluded to in Acts 19-20 in connection with St. Paul’s extended ministry at Ephesus. Paul used it as a base. He became embroiled in a dispute with artisans, whose livelihood depended on the Temple of Artemis there, and wrote Corinthians1 from Ephesus. Apostle Paul probably spent two and a half years in Ephesus during his 3rd missionary journey, until a riot forced him to leave the city rapidly. Some authorities believe that St. Paul was imprisoned in the so-called Prison of St. Paul in Ephesus. Later Paul wrote to the Christian community at Ephesus.

The Apostle and Evangelist John lived in Asia Minor in the last decades of the first century and from Ephesus had guided the Churches of that province…After Domitian’s death the Apostle returned to Ephesus during the reign of Trajan, and at Ephesus he died about 100 at a great age. Ephesus was one of the seven cities addressed in Revelation. Ephesus was the setting for the Third Ecumenical Council in 431, which the question of the Virgin Mary being the Mother of God was debated. In this council it was decided that Christ had a double nature as God and man, and the Virgin Mary was “Theotokos”, god-bearer. Ephesus is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation.

Ephesus was very cosmopolitan; most of its inhabitants were Ionians, Jews, Romans, Egyptians. Greek was the official language. There were religious buildings for different faiths such as Serapis Temple for the Egyptians, a synagogue for jews where St. Paul preached. So far the synagogue has not been excavated by the archeologists. Some evidences were found, synagogue is believed to be either close to Church of Mary or the Theater Gymnasium.

Social classes were separated by birth and wealth. The city laws were engraved on marble slabs and were displayed in the main squares. Fortune telling was very common in Ephesus. Apollon Temples had been the main attraction by the people who would like to know about their futures. Lead and iron bars were used for the stability of the buildings and columns (Base-Foundation-Capital). During the Byzantine time “Spolio” recycled material is commonly used on constructions. Slabs on curetes & marble streets were covered with Marble panels which were glued with melted lead. During Hellenistic period main construction material was stones, Roman period was marble, Byzantine period was brick with spolio.

First excavations were started by John Turtle Wood, a British engineer who came to Selcuk for railway construction. He was the one who discovered the ruins in 1870’s. Later on Austrians took over him. For over 110 years excavations are run by Austrians. So far %12 of the city is excavated. Today Ephesus is 3 miles away from sea due to silting.