DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4615#0018
16 MODERN DISCOVERIES AT ANCIENT EPHESUS.
said to have been built. During the century between
the years 323 and 223 B.C., Ephesus was subject to
AntigonuSj Lysimachus, Demetrius, Antiochus Sotcr.
Antiochus Thcos, and the Seleucidae. The form of
government often changed as before. In the year
223 B.C., Antiochus the Great became King of Syria
and Asia, and Ephesus paid tribute to him till his death,
B.C. 187.
Ephesus then fell into the hands of the Kings of
Pergamus, Eumenes, Attains II, and Attains III, suc-
cessively. It was during the reign of Attalus II that an
engineer made the grievous mistake of narrowing the
mouth of the river Cayster by embanking it near the
mouth on the north side, and building a mole upon the
sea-shore. It was considered that these constructions
would increase the scour of the river near its mouth,
which was formerly very wide; but it had a contrary
effect, the detritus from the mountains, which are greatly
composed of mica-schist, did not get away into the sea
as well as before, and in course of time the port was
silted up. To this circumstance the decline of Ephesus
has been partly attributed. The remains of this massive
embankment may even now be traced for nearly a mile,
to within 400 yards of the present sea-board ; and this is
sufficient to refute the assertion of those who say that
the sea formerly approached the city, which is now fully
four miles distant, and could not have been much less
distant 2000 years ago.
We have every reason to believe that Ephesus, from
the time of its foundation, increased in importance till
it became the chief mart of Asia Minor, and that the
worship of the great goddess in her magnificent temple
said to have been built. During the century between
the years 323 and 223 B.C., Ephesus was subject to
AntigonuSj Lysimachus, Demetrius, Antiochus Sotcr.
Antiochus Thcos, and the Seleucidae. The form of
government often changed as before. In the year
223 B.C., Antiochus the Great became King of Syria
and Asia, and Ephesus paid tribute to him till his death,
B.C. 187.
Ephesus then fell into the hands of the Kings of
Pergamus, Eumenes, Attains II, and Attains III, suc-
cessively. It was during the reign of Attalus II that an
engineer made the grievous mistake of narrowing the
mouth of the river Cayster by embanking it near the
mouth on the north side, and building a mole upon the
sea-shore. It was considered that these constructions
would increase the scour of the river near its mouth,
which was formerly very wide; but it had a contrary
effect, the detritus from the mountains, which are greatly
composed of mica-schist, did not get away into the sea
as well as before, and in course of time the port was
silted up. To this circumstance the decline of Ephesus
has been partly attributed. The remains of this massive
embankment may even now be traced for nearly a mile,
to within 400 yards of the present sea-board ; and this is
sufficient to refute the assertion of those who say that
the sea formerly approached the city, which is now fully
four miles distant, and could not have been much less
distant 2000 years ago.
We have every reason to believe that Ephesus, from
the time of its foundation, increased in importance till
it became the chief mart of Asia Minor, and that the
worship of the great goddess in her magnificent temple