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Ephesus was an ancient Ionian
Greek city; its ruins lie near
the modern Town of Selcuk and
only 20 minutes drive from
Kusadasi in Turkey. It was
situated south of the Cayster
River, and was the site of the
Temple of Artemis. Traditionally
founded by the Carians, it was
one of the 12 Ionian Cities and
was involved in the Persian and
Peloponnesian wars. It was taken
by Alexander the Great c.334 BC
and prospered throughout the
Hellenistic period. It passed to
Rome in 133 BC; under Augustus
it became the capital of the
Roman province of Asia. It was
an early seat of Christianity,
visited by St. Paul, and the
recipient of the Epistle to the
Ephesians. The Goths destroyed
the city and temple in AD 262;
neither ever recovered. There
are extensively excavated ruins
at the modern site. Ephesus is
600km far away from Istanbul and
there are 2 ways to go there
from Istanbul by flight or by
overnight bus. Please see below
both options.
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