Headline: Apostle Pauls Causes Riot at Great Ephesus Theatre
The Great Theatre is the most magnificent structure in Ephesus. There are 24000 seats and 1000 standing places. It is the largest amphitheatre in Asia Minor. The walkway below leads from the Celsus Library, through the Agora Gate, past the Gymnasium (school) to meet the Harbour Road in front of the Great Theatre.
Walking through the ruins of Ephesus is like walking through a partially assembled jigsaw puzzle. There are pieces laying everywhere with partially assembled pieces giving a glimpse of what the final picture should be.
The riot (52AD) was started by Demitrious, the leader of the silversmiths guild, who had brought all of his followers to refute Paul’s teaching that the statues of Artemis are worthless. These businessmen were making a lot of money from the manufacture and sales of silver shrines of the Temple of Artemis and the silver statues of Artemis. Paul’s teaching had been changing the worship from Artemis to the Christian God and reducing the sales of silver statues.
Paul’s friends stopped him from going to the amphitheatre and spirited him out of the city. Could it have been in a small white horseless chariot with four wheels like the one in the pictures above and below? <Did you notice the similarity of the word chariot to the words car and riot?>
As we walked farther down the road, the small parts of the puzzle begin to take shape.
At this point, we are too close to the theatre to take it all in. We cannot comprehend its grandeur.
Leading away downhill is a great road called Harbour Street. Not surprisingly it leads from the harbour to the theatre. Imagine looking up from the harbour and seeing each column lit at night. (Earliest street lighting) It is a half mile long (800 meters) and 36 feet wide. On each side is a colonnade each 16 feet wide.
The pedestrian colonnades were paved with mosaics.
When we are partway down Harbour street, looking back at the great amphitheatre, we can see its grandeur.
Concerts have recently been held in this ancient space. In the 1980’s performers like Elton John, Mikis Theodorakis, Joan Baes, Ray Charles, Diana Ross and Sting performed here. Apparently St. Paul was not the only one to create a riot in Ephesus. One traveller says that Sting also created a riot and that concerts like that have not been held here since then.
-Where do You want to go today? –
http://www.ephesus.us/ephesus/the_great_theatre_of_ephesus.htm
http://www.ephesustravelguide.com/ephesus-theater-church-of-mary.html
