Temple of Diana Ephesus
Temple of Diana, Ephesus
A rusty sign and some broken columns stacked on a crude cement base
commemorate Ephesus Temple of Diana. During
Ephesus' heyday, the Temple of Diana
covered 130 x 60 yards. Each of the Temple of Diana's 127
massive ionic columns were 60 feet tall. Deemed one of the seven
Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Diana in Ephesus was 4 times larger than the Parthenon in Athens.
Ephesus' Temple of Diana actually started as the Temple of Artemis, the Greek goddess. By the 1st century AD, however, Romans ruled Ephesus and substituted their goddess Diana for Artemis. The substitution of Diana appears to have been fine with Ephesus' silversmiths as long as they could continue to peddle miniature copies of the Temple of Diana / Artemis. Their profit margin appears to have been squeezed, however, when Paul came to Ephesus and preached against idolatry:
"And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.” Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”" (Acts 19:23-28)
The Bible says that this instigated a riot at Ephesus' "theatre". And trace of that today? (click here)
Ephesus' Temple of Diana actually started as the Temple of Artemis, the Greek goddess. By the 1st century AD, however, Romans ruled Ephesus and substituted their goddess Diana for Artemis. The substitution of Diana appears to have been fine with Ephesus' silversmiths as long as they could continue to peddle miniature copies of the Temple of Diana / Artemis. Their profit margin appears to have been squeezed, however, when Paul came to Ephesus and preached against idolatry:
"And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.” Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”" (Acts 19:23-28)
The Bible says that this instigated a riot at Ephesus' "theatre". And trace of that today? (click here)