Ephesus history sprawls across three thousand years, five empires and two religions. Here is the spine of the story — the dates our guides reach for most often on tour.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 1400–1300 BC | Bronze Age Apasa, capital of Arzawa, flourishes on Ayasuluk Hill — the first Ephesus. |
| c. 1000 BC | Greek settlers led, tradition says, by prince Androclos found Ionian Ephesus. |
| c. 560 BC | King Croesus of Lydia moves the city beside the Artemision and funds the great temple. |
| c. 550–430 BC | Construction of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. |
| 547 BC | Persia conquers Anatolia; Ephesus navigates the new order. |
| 21 July 356 BC | Herostratus burns the Temple of Artemis to make his name immortal — reputedly the night Alexander the Great is born. |
| c. 334 BC | Alexander the Great liberates Ephesus from Persian rule. |
| c. 300–290 BC | Lysimachus refounds the city on its present site; the great theater is begun. |
| 129 BC | Ephesus becomes part of the Roman Empire — and soon capital of the province of Asia. |
| 88 BC | The Mithridatic uprising: Latin-speaking residents are massacred; Sulla exacts revenge. |
| AD 17 | A great earthquake devastates the city; Rome rebuilds it grander. |
| c. AD 52–55 | Apostle Paul ministers in Ephesus for about three years (Acts 19). |
| AD 114–117 | The Library of Celsus is commissioned and completed. |
| c. AD 138 | The Temple of Hadrian rises on Curetes Street. |
| AD 262 | Goths sack Ephesus, burning the library and plundering the Temple of Artemis. |
| AD 431 | The Third Ecumenical Council meets in the Church of Mary, proclaiming Mary Theotokos. |
| 6th century | Justinian builds the Basilica of Saint John; the harbor's decline accelerates. |
| 7th–8th centuries | Earthquakes and Arab raids push the population back to Ayasuluk Hill. |
| 1375 | The Seljuk revival: Isa Bey Mosque is completed. |
| 15th century | Ottoman control; the silted city is finally abandoned. |
| 1869 | Modern excavations begin — and have not stopped since. |
Every date in this table has a physical address in the ruins — the fun of a guided walk is standing on them in order.
Sources & further reading
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ephesus — official chronology and documentation
- Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University — primary ancient sources
- Livius.org: Ephesus — articles on ancient history by historian Jona Lendering