Along the Marble Road
The Owl
Vol. 2,
Issue 20
May 22, 2008
Baltimore,
Maryland
Dear Inquiring Traveler,
Today, The Owl takes you to one of the most spectacular sites of the ancient world. Ephesus is a must-see, no matter how many tourists visit it every day—read on to find out why.
And, if you prefer to go off-the-beaten-path, I promise to take you to two little-known sites in Turkey very soon.Regards,
Editor,
The Owl
________________________________________
Along the Marble Road (Part 1)
by Elise Warner
 |
|
The lavishly
decorated Library of Celsus is actually the burial monument that a
son built to honor the memory of his father. Photo courtesy of www.istockphoto.com. |
Ephesus, Turkey—I kneel to examine an advertisement (thought to be the first Roman infomercial) drawn on the glistening Marble Road that begins at the Koressos Gate and extends to the Library of Celsus. I see a woman’s head and a heart (interpreted as waiting for love), a footprint (turn here) and two fingers—one finger points to the library, the other to the remains of the brothel of Ephesus located across from the library.
A 20-minute bus ride from the spirited port town of Kusadasi has brought me to the ancient metropolis of Ephesus—a major Greco-Roman excavation site. It’s a city built of marble, once the most important of the 12 cities that the Greeks started founding 3,000 years ago on the coast of Turkey and a major departure point for trade routes in Asia Minor. Blessed with an unusual fresh-water spring on its beach and a sheltered harbor, Ephesus grew into an impressive international center of commerce and culture, inhabited by 200,000 people.
|
--- Advertisement --- The great works of the ancient masters have lasted for thousands of years, and for good reason. The ideas of these forefathers reveal how Western civilization was formed. Unfortunately, reading the classics is one of those things many
people never get around to. But now there's no need for
regrets—we’ve made it easy for you to get to the heart of the works
of the great classical masters. |
 |
Buried with 12,000 Books
I follow the finger that points to the Library of Celsus and stop in front of a two-story façade, splendidly decorated with copies of statues (the originals are in Vienna) recessed in Corinthian columns. Inscriptions on the pedestals holding the figures show that they represent Episteme (Knowledge), Sophia (Wisdom), Ennoia (Intelligence), and Arete (Virtue). The bright morning light coming from the east shines through the emptiness between the columns where three levels of galleries held over 12,000 scrolls kept in cupboards on double walls—the gap between the walls protected the rolls of parchment from damp. Three entrances, the highest and widest in the center, invite both casual tourists and archeologists to study what was unearthed during excavations.
|
Public Privies
From the library I head toward the Street of the Curetes (the Curetes were the priests of the goddess Cybele). A gentle wind stirs the air and I find it easy to imagine the cries of charioteers as they race along the thoroughfare. The ruts made by the wheels of their chariots mark the road, also paved with blocks of marble, while fragments of mosaics decorate walks that allowed easy access to shops, temples, monuments and fountains. I pass partly standing walls, temples and fountains, broken statues of heroes and statesmen and pillar bases inscribed with the names of the priests.
|
Everything was thought of in this bustling city, right down to sanitation. A reservoir brought water to the city, supplying houses, fountains, baths and latrines. Inscriptions found in the public latrines indicate the direction to the brothel through symbols and the seductive words, “Follow Me.” Built in the 1st century AD, and connected to the city’s sewage system by a water channel, the latrines have u-shaped holes cut into long rows of marble. Men sat side by side, their robes modestly draped over their legs and used the time to debate, chat and exchange gossip. Cleanliness was obtained by the use of a stick, a sponge, and a water channel still visible in front of the seats.
A fellow traveler hands me a camera and takes a seat on the marble. Another traveler, another camera; for some reason, the latrines are one of the most popular sites in Ephesus.
|
