In the ancient world, one of the seven wonders of the world is the temple of Artemis of Ephesus. These wonders are a list of the most famous architectural structures. Works about them were very popular in ancient times and contained descriptions of the finest or the most technically advanced buildings or monuments of art. Today we will talk both about the goddess herself, and about the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, about the seven wonders of the world.
What is on the list?
Periodically, some miracles were replaced by others, but in the end a so-called classic list was formed, which includes:
- Pyramids at Giza, in Egypt.
- Hanging Gardens of Queen Babylon in Babylon (now Iraq).
- Golden statue of Zeus at the Peloponnese in Greece.
- Temple of Artemis of Ephesus - a wonder of the world at number 4, the city of Ephesus, Asia Minor (now Turkey).
- Halicarnassus Mausoleum, Asia Minor (modern Turkey).
- Statue of the god Helios called "Colossus of Rhodes", Greece.
- Lighthouse in Alexandria of Egypt.
Unfortunately, the only thing that has survived to this day is the pyramids in Egypt. Therefore, to learn about these attractions (and about the temple of Artemis of Ephesus - a wonder of the world, in particular) is possible only from ancient chronicles, as well as legends and myths.
Young goddess
Artemis was among the ancient Greeks one of the most famous and revered goddesses. It not only had many hypostases, but its essence was very contradictory, since it carried directly opposite features in itself. For example, she was cruel, vindictive, and at the same time she patronized people, animals, plants, and helped during childbirth.
Here are some of the images in which Artemis presented:
- Forever young virgin goddess.
- Goddess of the hunt.
- Fertility
- Female chastity.
- Patroness of wildlife.
- Helping in childbirth.
- Sending happiness in marriage.
- The goddess of the moon is in contrast to the twin brother Apollo, the god of the sun.
- Patroness of the Amazons.
30 temples were dedicated to Artemis throughout Greece, but the most famous was the sanctuary in the city of Ephesus. Therefore, one of the most common epithets applied to this goddess was the mention of her as Artemis of Ephesus. Details about the temple will be discussed below.
Cruel Avenger
The animals of Artemis were a doe and a bear. The Romans identified her with Diana. She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto (daughter of the Titans). She served 60 daughters of the Ocean and 20 nymphs. God Pan gave Artemis 12 hunting dogs. The nymphs who accompanied her were also required to take a vow of celibacy.
And if it was not respected by them, then strict punishment awaited the violators, as, for example, the nymph Callisto. The latter became the lover of Zeus and gave birth to a son from him, for which she was turned by a virgin goddess into a bear. And also, for example, such myths as:
- about the hunter Acteon, who was turned by her into a bear and torn by dogs for seeing her bathing;
- about Queen Niobe, whose children she destroyed for the insult to her mother Summer;
- about the daughter of the deer who killed the beloved doe of the Greek goddess Agamemnon Iphigenia, who she demanded to sacrifice.
Patroness of wildlife
But Artemis also had positive aspects. Although she is the goddess of hunting, she was the patroness of animals. I took care that they were not offended in vain. She made sure that the total number of animals did not decrease. And also Artemis was the patroness of plants - wild and domestic, people and livestock. She stimulated the growth of flowers, herbs and trees, gave a blessing to those entering into marriage, the marriage itself, the birth of offspring.
Artemis loved to dance with nymphs, enjoyed the sounds of the lyre and kiphara, which was played by Apollo on Mount Parnassus, surrounded by muses. The goddess was depicted in the form of a beautiful girl wandering through forests and fields, accompanied by a doe with a bow and a quiver of arrows behind her back. And also Artemis of Ephesus was depicted in the form of a many-chested statue, which was in her temple in Ephesus. This image symbolized the fact that the goddess patronized childbirth.
Temple at Ephesus
The fame of this city on the shores of the Aegean Sea was brought to a large extent by the local cult of the eastern goddess of fertility, which over time began to be identified with Artemis of Ephesus. Today in its place is the city of Selcuk, belonging to the Turkish province of Izmir.
The worship of the goddess began from ancient times, and the temple began to be built in the 1st half of the VI century. BC e. The funds for this were allocated by the Lydian rich man - King Croesus. Two inscriptions he made were preserved at the bases of the columns. The architect of this miracle of the world - the temple of Artemis of Ephesus - was Khersiphon, during whose lifetime walls and a colonnade were erected. Construction was continued by Metagen, his son. And Demetrius and Peonius finished it in the 5th century. BC e.
When the finished huge white-marble temple appeared before the eyes of the townspeople, they noisily expressed their surprise and admiration. The best Greek masters participated in the creation of the sculptures that adorned him. There was also a statue of the goddess Artemis of Ephesus, made of gold and decorated with ivory. She made atoning sacrifices before marriage.
The temple was used not only to conduct religious ceremonies. Here was the business and financial center of Ephesus. The temple was run by a college of priests, being completely independent of the city authorities.
In 356 BC e. it was burned by Herostratus, who wanted to become famous at all costs. However, the temple was soon rebuilt in its original form. Money for this was given by Alexander the Great. Architect Deinocrates kept the plan of the temple, he only built a stepped base, thanks to which the building was greatly elevated. In the III century AD e. it was plundered by the Goths, and in VI it was destroyed by Christians who forbade pagan cults.