Continuing in Ephesus...

A view from the upper city, toward the agora and library...

and a market district, with mosaic-tiled sidewalks in front of stores/homes...

There were also monuments to Trajan, and to Hadrian, where we find this relief of Medusa (or this... ) on an arch, along with other battle scenes (and such a blue sky...)


and this curious remnant of a statue of Hadrian, his foot on the world.  Curious, since he seems to be standing on a very round globe--somewhat earlier than Columbus launched out into the Atlantic...

And these signs of life always appeal to me.  Hard to imagine any monument in the U.S. being allowed to have things growing in the stones.  But then, we don't quite have the volume of ancient sites...


Our group, perhaps listening to some of the history details (a bit of teacher's skepticism creeps in here)...

There were Roman baths and toilets (for men only, though they haven't excavated the whole city yet), passageways, and then the approach to the lower city.  The gateway to the agora/market, nearing the once-harbor,

and then the Library...


and perhaps my favorite image of the whole place--Suleyman had us meet under this pomegranate tree, then in bloom.  I've eaten pomegranates, and bring them to class when I teach the tale of Persephone, but I'd never seen the tree...


and finally, the Great Theater, which once might have had Greek dramas, but gave way eventually to all the forms of Roman entertainment--gladiators, victims, lions...  And 15 years ago, a concert by Sting.  But apparently, modern sound systems are bad for ancient rock, and now only kinder, gentler performances take place here.




later, bob




















mos pic