Ephĕsus

, a city of Ionia, built, as Justin mentions, by the Amazons; or by And roch us son of Codrus, according to Strabo; or by Ephesus, a son of the river Cayster. It is famous for a temple of Diana, which was reckoned one of the seven wonders of the world. This temple was 425 feet long and 200 feet broad. The roof was supported by 127 columns, 60 feet high, which had been placed there by so many kings. Of these columns, 36 were carved in the most beautiful manner, one of which was the work of the famous Scopas. This celebrated building was not totally completed till 220 years after its foundation. Ctesiphon was the chief architect. There was above the entrance a huge stone, which, according to Pliny, had been placed there by Diana herself. The riches which were in the temple were immense, and the godde who presided over it was worshipped with the most awful solemnity. This celebrated temple was burnt on the night that Alexander was born [ See: Eros trat us ], and soon after it rose from its ruins with more splendour and magnificence. Alexander offered to rebuild it at his own expense, if the Ephesians would place upon it an inscription which denoted the name of the benefactor. This generous offer was refused by the Ephesians, who observed, in the language of adulation, that it was improper that one deity should raise temples to the other. Lysimachus ordered the town of Ephesus to be called Arsinoe, in honour of his wife; but after his death the new appellation was lost, and the town was again known by its ancient name. Though modern authors are not agreed about the ancient ruins of this once famed city, some have given the barbarous name of Ajasalouc to what they conjecture to be the remains of Ephesus. The words literæ Ephesiæ are applied to letters containing magical powers. Pliny , bk. 36 , ch. 14 .— Strabo , bks. 12 & 14.— Mela , bk. 1 , ch. 17 .— Pausanias , bk. 7 , ch. 2 .— Plutarch , Alexander .— Justin , bk. 2 , ch. 4 .— Call i mach us , Hymn to Artemis .— Ptolemy , bk. 5 .— Cicero , de Natura Deorum , bk. 2 .