The Temple of Artemis

In the Bible

Demetrius, a silversmith who made shrines of Artemis, stirred up the craftsmen; the city clerk called Ephesus the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis.

Acts 19:24–28It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen. Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity. And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.” When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

Acts 19:35Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?

Here today

Once one of the Seven Wonders of the World; now a single column, rebuilt from fragments, stands in a marshy field below Selçuk.

Before you travel, check your country’s travel advice. Opening hours and the rules of the sites change — see their official pages.

Land outlines: Natural Earth (public domain).