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Famous Visitors to Ephesus

Ephesus, as one of the most important cities of the ancient world and a spectacular archaeological site today, has attracted famous figures for millennia. Here is a breakdown of famous citizens and visitors from ancient times, followed by famous modern visitors.

Part 1: Ancient Times (c. 10th century BC to 5th century AD)

A. Famous Citizens of Ancient Ephesus

These are individuals who were born, lived, or worked in Ephesus and became integral to its history.

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  1. Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535 – c. 475 BC): One of the most important pre-Socratic philosophers. Known as “The Obscure” for his cryptic teachings, he famously believed that change is the fundamental essence of the universe, encapsulated in his maxim, “You cannot step into the same river twice.” He was a native Ephesian from an aristocratic family.
  2. Artemisia I of Caria (c. 5th Century BC): The Queen of Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum) who was a naval commander and ally of Xerxes I of Persia during the second Persian invasion of Greece. She fought bravely at the Battle of Salamis (480 BC). While not born in Ephesus, she is famously linked to the city because, according to legend, she fled to Ephesus after her defeat, and the great Temple of Artemis provided her sanctuary.
  3. Zenodotus of Ephesus (c. 325 – c. 260 BC): A renowned Greek grammarian and literary critic. He was the first librarian of the Library of Alexandria, making him one of the most important scholarly figures of the Hellenistic age. He undertook the first critical edition of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.
  4. Soranus of Ephesus (c. 1st-2nd Century AD): A celebrated physician from the Methodic school. His work “On Midwifery and the Diseases of Women” was a cornerstone of gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics for centuries. He practiced in Alexandria and Rome but was a native of Ephesus.
  5. Rufus of Ephesus (c. 1st-2nd Century AD): A prominent physician who wrote extensively on anatomy and disease. His works were highly regarded by Galen, the famous Roman doctor.

B. Famous People Who Visited Ancient Ephesus

These were powerful figures and celebrities of their day who traveled to the city.

  1. Croesus (c. 595 – c. 546 BC): The famously wealthy King of Lydia. After conquering Ephesus around 560 BC, he was a major benefactor of the city. He funded the construction of the great Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
  2. Alexander the Great (356 – 323 BC): He liberated Ephesus from Persian rule in 334 BC. Upon his arrival, he offered to pay for the completion of the Temple of Artemis (which had been burned down on the night of his birth, according to legend). The Ephesians diplomatically declined, saying it wasn’t fitting for one god to build a temple to another.
  3. Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) (83 – 30 BC): Along with Cleopatra VII, he visited Ephesus in 33 BC. He used the city as a base, and Cleopatra joined him with her fleet. They were greeted as divine rulers by the Ephesians.
  4. Augustus Caesar (63 BC – 14 AD): The first Roman Emperor. After his victory, he made Ephesus the capital of the Roman province of Asia instead of Pergamum. This decision catapulted Ephesus to its greatest period of prosperity. He and his successors built many of the iconic structures seen today, like the Aqueducts and the Basilica Stoa.
  5. The Apostles Paul and John: Ephesus is crucial to early Christian history.
    • St. Paul: Lived in Ephesus for about three years (c. 52-54 AD). He preached in the synagogue and the lecture hall of Tyrannus, converting many and performing miracles. His success caused a riot by the silversmiths, led by Demetrius, who made statues of Artemis (Acts 19:23-41). He wrote his First Letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus.
    • St. John: Christian tradition holds that John the Apostle brought Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Ephesus after the Crucifixion. He is believed to have lived his later years in the region, written his Gospel there, and was buried on Ayasuluk Hill (in Selçuk). The Basilica of St. John was later built over his purported tomb.
  6. The Virgin Mary: According to a long-standing tradition based on the visions of a German nun, Anne Catherine Emmerich, the Virgin Mary spent her last years in a small house (Meryemana) located in the hills near Ephesus. This site is now a major pilgrimage destination.

Part 2: Modern Times (19th Century to Present)

In the modern era, visitors are typically explorers, archaeologists, dignitaries, and celebrities drawn to the world-class ruins.

Famous Modern Visitors to Ephesus

  1. John Turtle Wood (1821-1890): A British architect and railway engineer who became an archaeologist. Sponsored by the British Museum, he spent years searching for and eventually discovering the site of the Temple of Artemis in 1869. He also conducted the first major excavations of the main city site.
  2. Otto Benndorf (1838-1907): A German archaeologist who, after visiting the site, founded the Austrian Archaeological Institute which began systematic, scientific excavations in 1895. The institute continues its work at Ephesus to this day.
  3. Pope Paul VI (1897-1978): In 1967, he became the first pope in modern times to visit Turkey. He celebrated mass at the ruins of Ephesus and made a pilgrimage to the House of the Virgin Mary, lending significant ecclesiastical support to the site’s authenticity as a place of worship.
  4. Pope John Paul II (1920-2005): Visited the House of the Virgin Mary in 1979, further cementing its status as a major Catholic and Muslim pilgrimage site. He confirmed the Vatican’s acceptance of it as a holy place.
  5. Pope Benedict XVI (1927-2022): Continued the tradition by visiting the House of the Virgin Mary in 2006 during his trip to Turkey.
  6. Pope Francis (1936- present): Visited the House of the Virgin Mary in 2014, praying for peace and inter-religious dialogue.
  7. Celebrities and Heads of State: The stunning ruins are a magnet for the world’s elite. Visitors have included:
    • Bill Clinton (during his presidency)
    • Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
    • Mick Jagger (of The Rolling Stones)
    • Sylvester Stallone
    • Sting
    • Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson
    • Kylie Minogue
    • Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson (who have a home in Turkey)

The stream of famous visitors continues today, with Ephesus remaining one of the most sought-after destinations for anyone interested in history, archaeology, and culture.