You may wonder why the Temple of Artemis (Artemision) is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
In ancient times, historians agreed that the Temple of Artemis was one of the marvels of their time. The Temple of Artemis was the most beautiful of all 7 wonders.
According to Pausanias, the size of the Artemis Temple, and the love of Ephesians for the goddess sets the Temple of Artemis apart from any human construction.
The oldest surviving literature about the 7 Wonders of the World is written by Antipater of Sidon. In his poem, Sidon clearly states that the Temple of Artemis is the most marvelous of the Seven Wonders.
Here is the poem;
“I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labor of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, “Hey, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on so grand on anything”
— Greek Anthology IX.58 Antipater of Sidon Source wikipedia
Where is the Temple of Artemis located today?
The Temple of Artemis is in the Selcuk province of Izmir in Turkey. The Temple of Artemis is also 20 20-minute drive distance to Kusadasi and 1-hour driving distance to Izmir.
In ancient times, the Temple of Artemis was located on the outskirts of the ancient city of Ephesus.
In those times, Ephesus was the second biggest city in the world, with a population of more than 200.000 people.
Who built the Temple of Artemis?
The holiness of the site of the Temple of Artemis is older than itself. The exact time of construction is still not known because the Temple of Artemis renewed itself over time. Yet, the place Temple is located is around 8500 years old.
The Temple of Artemis was ransacked more than 7 times and rebuilt at least three times. Yet, each time, the Temple of Artemis was restored, it got more beautiful.
As the Temple of Artemis was destroyed three times, there are three builders of the Temple of Artemis. The builders of the Temple of Artemis were Amazons, Lidyan King Croesus, and Ephesians.
- The first builders of the Temple of Artemis are Amazons. Romans believed that the Amazons built the Temple for their Queen Diana.
- The second builder of the Temple of Artemis was Lidyan King Croesus, who was the wealthiest man of his time. Lydian Kings were so rich that they were the inventors of the currency standard we use today. Yet, even for them, completing the Temple of Artemis took more than 100 years.
- The third builders of the Temple of Artemis are Ephesians. They even refused help from the Great Alexander because they didn’t want to share their love of Artemis with anybody else.
Archeological excavations at the beginning of this century also revealed three temple bases, confirming the Temple of Artemis was built three times.
Modern archaeology could not confirm the first builders as Amazon, but it is revealed that the first temple was older than any other in the Greek world. The first Artemis Temple is 8500 years old.
It is also believed that the Temple of Artemis is the oldest of temples with marble columns. It is also the first building in the world constructed solely with marble.
Are the Temple of Artemis and the Temple of Diana the same? What does this have to do with Wonder Woman?
Ephesian God Artemis and Roman God Diana are both goddesses of the hunt and Moon. Romans believed that these goddesses were the same, and for this reason, Romans called the temple, the Temple of Diana.
The ancient God Artemis became the Roman God Diana. And in modern-day Diana still lives in our culture as Wonder Woman, Queen Diana of Amazons.
Remember the scene in Wonder Woman where Amazons throw an arrow at the Pantheon and light the ancient fire?
The Pantheon is another Temple of Artemis, but the real one is the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (“Artemission). Artemission dwarfed the Pantheon in every aspect, not just by size but by beauty as well.
What did the Temple of Artemis look like? How big was the Temple of Artemis?
The Temple Artemis in Ephesus (Artemision) was four times bigger than the Pantheon in Athens. According to historian Plynus, Artemis Temple had a height of 18 meters (60 ft).
The base of the temple was rectangular, and its sides were 115 meters ( 377 ft) and 55 meters (180 ft). It was made entirely with marvel, and 127 columns supported its marvel roof.
The Temple Artemis was not just a place for worship but also a commercial hub. The outer ring of the Temple was a bazaar resembling the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul.
Who destroyed the Temple of Artemis and why?
The Temple of Artemis was destroyed three times. Yet, The first destruction was due to a flood in 700 BC. The second destruction was by a man called Herostratus. Herostratus burned the Temple of Artemis to make his name remembered.
The reason for the third destruction is relatively unknown, it is believed to be around 400 AD during the persecution of pagans in the Roman Empire.
The spread of Christianity and Apostle Paul’s arrival in Ephesus are also other reasons the Temple of Artemis was abandoned in time.
Also, another woman figure, the Virgin Mother, started to be loved by Ephesians as much as Artemis. Virgin Mary came to Ephesus with Apostle Paul, and she spent the rest of her days with Ephesians.
Does the Temple of Artemis still exist? Is the Temple of Artemis still standing? What Happened to Remains of Temple Artemis?
Today, the Temple of Artemis’ location is mostly empty. You can only see one of its columns standing.
Most of the late findings on this site can be seen at Ephesus Archeological Museum and British Museum in London.
There were limited remains on the site because the last remains of the Temple of Artemis were destroyed in 401 CE by a Christian mob. It was the time of persecution of pagans in the Byzantine (East Roman) Empire.
The Temple of Artemis lives in Hagia Sophia.
Another interesting fact is that the remaining parts of this world wonder are used in the construction of Hagia Sophia.
This is also another major reason why there were limited ruins in the original site of the Temple of Artemis.
You could say Temple Artemis transferred its beauty to Hagia Sophia and still lives in Hagia Sophia.
