The Quiet of Ephesus

The archeological site of Ephesus in Turkey was once a busy seaport for the Mediterranean, a mixing pot of culture and diversity and a true example of a classical metropolis.

For roughly 1,500 years, Ephesus was all but forgotten. The remnants of this incredible classical city were hidden from the world until the 1860s, when an international team of archeologists began unearthing the ruins. Today, less than 20 percent of Ephesus has been excavated, but it is still one of the largest accessible archeological sites in the world, and over a million visitors come each year to explore it all in person.

One of the highlights of Ephesus is the famed Library of Celsus. Built in 123 AD, the library was once of the largest libraries in the ancient world. Four statues on it’s facade represent the four virtues: Sophia, representing wisdom, Episteme, representing knowledge, Ennoia, representing thought, and Arete, representing goodness.