Falkener, Edward: Ephesus and the temple of Diana (London, 1862)

THE CELEBRATED TEMPLE. 237

that the statue in St. Paul's time was the original
statue which was said to have fallen clown from
heaven. But though the treasures deposited in
the Temple for security were of great value, the
most considerable were those offered to the deity
by the piety or superstition of the donors, and the
free-will or votive offerings of the people, amassed
in the course of centuries ; and these the Ephesians
would naturally take in defraying the expenses of
the building : and how indeed could they better
employ the gifts offered to the goddess than in
building a magnificent temple in her honour ?

6. The dimensions of the Temple.

The dimensions of the Temple were, as recorded
by Pliny,1 425 feet by 220 ; and according to Philo
it had ten steps.3 Professor Wilkins observes, that
the ten steps are not included in Pliny's measure-
ments. He supposes seven of these steps to be of
the peribolus,3 and three of the Temple, for the
Greeks rarely exceeded three steps, and almost
invariably adopted an odd number.

It was customary with ancient writers to measure
their temples on the upper step; and it will be
sufficient to refer to one instance in proof of this :
the Hecatompedon at Athens, to which title the
temple was indebted for the extent of its upper

1 See page 222. 2 See page 224.

8 It is possible, however, that there might have been seven
sets-off in the substructure or foundations of the Temple.