Ephesus - Ephesus (English spelling)

An ancient city that flourished on the west coast of Asia Minor, Turkey. In the New Testament it is written as Ephesus. Founded around the end of the 11th century BC, it developed as one of the 12 Ionian cities through colonization and trade from around the 6th century BC. The philosopher Heraclitus, who preached about the cycle of all things, and the poet Kalinos also came from here. The Temple of Artemis, built here, was a magnificent building that is counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It also flourished as the capital of Asia under Roman rule, and the Apostle Paul stayed here for about two years from 53 AD, preaching, building a church, and writing the Epistles to Corinthians and Galatians of the New Testament. It is said that the Apostle John also lived here in his later years, accompanied by the Virgin Mary. In 262, the Goths invaded and destroyed the city and temple, but it was later rebuilt, but it never regained its former prosperity. The Council of Ephesus was held here in 431, and by the late 15th century it had become nothing more than an isolated village. However, excavations by the Austrian Archaeological Society from the late 19th century revealed its ancient glory to the world.

[Kinji Hidemura]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

トルコ、小アジアの西海岸に栄えた古代都市。『新約聖書』ではエペソと書かれる。紀元前11世紀末ごろに建設され、イオニア12都市の一つとして、前6世紀ごろから植民と貿易により発展した。万物流転を説く哲人ヘラクレイトス、詩人カリノスもここから出た。この地に建立されたアルテミス神殿は、古代七不思議の一つに数えられる壮麗な建物であった。ローマ支配下にもアジア州の州都として栄え、紀元後53年から約2年間、使徒パウロがここに滞在して伝道し、教会を建て、『新約聖書』の「コリント書」「ガラテヤ書」を書いた。使徒ヨハネも聖母マリアを伴い、晩年ここに住んだと伝えられている。262年、ゴート人が侵入して市街と神殿を破壊、その後復興したが、昔日の繁栄は回復しなかった。431年エフェソス公会議が開かれ、15世紀後半には一寒村と化し、19世紀後半からオーストリア考古学協会の発掘によって古代の栄えが世に示された。

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