Walk through Ephesus and you realize something unsettling. Two thousand years ago a city of 250,000 people built marble streets, massive libraries, and one of the Seven Wonders of the world. We are not the first advanced civilization.

And then came Islam, which destroyed everything. In Syria, they left 800 cities completely abandoned, and they still lie abandoned to this day. See the images below. Many cities like Dydima and Sbeitla, they actually tore down their own city in order to make hastily built defensive walls. Completely tore down their own city, to defend themselves from the barbaric lslamic hoards. But it was to no avail, they all died. Ralph

Ephesus' decline began in the 3rd-6th centuries from harbor silting and earthquakes and then later with changes in trade routes.

Muslim expansion began began in the sixth century. This is when all of North Africa, Syria, Egypt, and Anatolia, were destroyed. RE

Been there twice. It’s remarkable.

@Skepticaloptmst Lovely photos.

Only one thing is that the city is more than 2000 years old. It was established in 2000 BC. This city is over 4000 years old. Virgin Mary came here. She was hiding from Romans nearby mountain. There is still a small stone house there. Pope visited. American presidents visited.

Yes thanks for bringing it up. I discussed the House of Mary in another post.

Have you visited this site? It is amazing. Not only Mary's house there. It also has the church built by St Peter in the city of Selçuk. Only 5 minutes from Ephesus.

The Greeks are amazing. Very proud of such legacies. Thank you for highlighting.

I hope that when AI takes over all our bullshit work we can focus on art and craftsmanship again.

Good point. It may bring hand craftsmanship back again.

Not people, Greeks.

"People built marble streets, massive libraries..." When I read, that Jesus was taken up to a "high mountain, and was shown all the kingdoms of the world and their glory," I realize the magnificence of Ephesus & other amazing place were what He saw... not huts or teepees. Matt4:8

The ancient city of Ephesus is one of the most important and best-preserved archaeological ruins of the classical world. Located on the Aegean coast, it was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in the Mediterranean for over a thousand years. Its foundation dates to the 10th century BC by Ionian colonists; according to the myth, the oracle of Apollo indicated that it should be founded where a fish and a wild boar would meet. Saint Paul preached there (Acts 19); Saint John the Evangelist and the Virgin Mary lived their final years nearby (according to tradition).

It’s spectacular. Hoping the excavate much more.

HELLAS 🇬🇷♥️🇬🇷

It's so hard for me to believe this was hand carved when the column headers look molded. Fascinating!

I've walked through the streets of Pompeii, into various buildings there and areas that the other tourists at that time were not going, down back streets, deeper into large villas. This was not built by primitive people. We make a grave mistake in judging people by the technology available to them. Perhaps the ancients were MORE ADVANCED THAN US because they accomplished so much with the limited means they had.

To think our civilization is advanced is laughable.

Incredible!

I don't think we are advanced civilization at all? The last 100 years have proven as much.

What stupidity! You're talking about your cradle and don't recognize it as your own? Speechless..

Look how beautiful that is .... enchanting!!!!

There is a reason why, until a few decades ago, classical education actually meant learning latin and greek.

(1).Ephesus (ancient Greek: Ἔφεσος) was founded in the 10th century BC (roughly 1000–900 BC) as an Attic-Ionian Greek colony.According to ancient tradition and sources like Herodotus, Strabo, and Pausanias, it was established by Greek settlers led by Androklos (or Androclus),

Wow!

Hellenism is beautiful 🇬🇷🏛️

Ephesus is a stunning reminder of ancient engineering brilliance. With its sophisticated aqueducts, the Library of Celsus, and the grand Temple of Artemis, it proves that architectural and urban mastery long predates our modern era.

Heraclitus invented the Logos there. St. John took it up in his gospel.

The original name is Apasa, Anatolian city before Greek invaders took it. We had own civilization before.

Ephesus is truly one of the wonders of the world. Do yourself a favor and never think of it as just a touristy place to visit. It is a massive, gorgeous plume of history. Do let yourself feel it.

Actually, Ephesus is older than that. “Apasos” name is already appearing in Hittite’s sources, in 2nd millenium bc

@salvareztweet Exactly... our technology is better, but our civil discourse has suffered greatly

Have you honestly only just found out about the Greeks?

I came across a word, recently, that describes this, it's known as, "chronocentrism". The belief that we are superior and more important than any other period in history, which anyone with even a superficial knowlede of history knows is wrong.

"Kipling said, 'East is East & West is West, and never the twain shall meet', but he was wrong because in Ephesus, East & West met and mingled. Anatolian civilization & Greek civilization came together there and erected their works." - J. Vernon McGee, 'The Church at Its Best'

The real kicker? Ephesus had running water and sewage systems 2000 years ago. Marble streets + libraries + 7th Wonder = urban planning that puts modern cities to shame. We keep calling ourselves 'advanced' while recycling the same blueprints.

We are retarded. We honestly can't just look at evidence and know for sure. Scientista are like the proverbial blind wise men around that elephant. The good news is - we have ML tools... The bad news - only if you want to make others understand the reaulra. Even undwrstanding tools requires effort. But if you just want to know, and don't care much for how much exposure, then you can play for yourself, and publish, and that's been happening with open source crowdthinking and it's beautiful

True! Louvre Abu Dhabi gave me similar chills. Maybe we're building the next generation's ancient wonders?

Yes, but you shouldn't have to walk through Ephesus to realize that.