Harbour Street, Ephesus

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 Harbour Street, which is 11m wide, would have been very ancient because the harbour was the reason for the development of the site. Ephesus began as one of the main deep harbours on the coast of Asia Minor where goods for the whole interior would have landed but by the 1st century it had silted up so much that only smaller ships could use it. Today Ancient Ephesus is 7km from the ocean.


Harbour Street, Ephesus

Harbour Street begins at the Grand Theatre and progresses gently down hill towards the ocean for 600m finishing at a harbour gateway, or propylon, built in the Hellenistic Period (before 133 BC when it passed to Rome). Many of its columns remain on both sides of the street, which had covered pavements on both sides and was once lined with shops: but it would have lacked other large structures in the 1st Century, except perhaps opposite the Grand Theatre.

Many of the greats of the Early Church, such as St Paul, walked up this street from the port and St John, Timothy, Priscilla and Aquilla, who lived here for many years, knew it well.

The Emperor Arcadius (395-408) restored and decorated the road so that its name was changed to ‘The Arkadiane’.

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