Great Theater of Ephesus
The 24,000-seat theater where the silversmiths' riot shouted 'Great is Artemis'
Found 1866 — John Turtle Wood (British Museum), first cleared 1866; Austrian Archaeological Institute excavations from 1895
Where Ephesus (Selçuk), İzmir Province (Turkey)
Dates from 3rd century BCE; enlarged under Claudius–Trajan (41–117 CE) · Hellenistic–Roman · Paul's three years in Ephesus (Acts 19)
Now at In situ at Ephesus archaeological site, Turkey
How Great Theater of Ephesus was found
Wood dug the theater looking for inscriptions that would lead him to the lost Temple of Artemis; an inscription found there (the Salutaris foundation) mentioned processions from the temple and pointed the way.
What it is
A hillside theater on Mount Pion facing the harbour street, with a cavea about 145 metres wide and seating for roughly 24,000. Building work was still going on in the mid-1st century when Paul was in the city.
Why it matters for the Bible
Acts 19:29 says the crowd rushed 'into the theater' and chanted for two hours, 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.' This is that building, one of the few New Testament settings still standing in near-complete form. Inscriptions from the theater about Artemis processions and city officials match Luke's picture of a proud, cult-centred city, and confirm that the town clerk (grammateus) and the Asiarchs (Acts 19:31, 35) were real offices there.
The Hebrew word: teh-aht-RON
תֵּאַטְרוֹן
תֵּאַטְרוֹן is pronounced teh-aht-RON and means theater (Greek theatron) (Strong's G2302).
People this discovery connects to
- Paul — שָׁאוּל (Shah-OOL) — asked for (Greek Paulos)
- Demetrius — דִּימִיטְרִיּוֹס (dee-MEE-tree-os) — Greek Demetrios, 'belonging to Demeter'
Places
- Ephesus — אֶפֶסוֹס (EH-feh-sos) — Greek Ephesos
Events
Riot of the silversmiths · Paul's three-year ministry in Ephesus
Great Theater of Ephesus in Scripture
Acts 19:24 One of only 3 verses that name Demetrius.
Acts 19:38 One of only 3 verses that name Demetrius.
3 John 1:12 One of only 3 verses that name Demetrius.
Questions people ask
What is Great Theater of Ephesus?
A hillside theater on Mount Pion facing the harbour street, with a cavea about 145 metres wide and seating for roughly 24,000. Building work was still going on in the mid-1st century when Paul was in the city.
When was Great Theater of Ephesus discovered?
It was found in 1866 by John Turtle Wood (British Museum), first cleared 1866; Austrian Archaeological Institute excavations from 1895, at Ephesus (Selçuk), İzmir Province.
Where is Great Theater of Ephesus today?
In situ at Ephesus archaeological site, Turkey.
Which Bible verses does Great Theater of Ephesus relate to?
Acts 19:24, Acts 19:38, 3 John 1:12.
Related discoveries
- אַרְטֶמִיסTemple of Artemis at EphesusOne of the Seven Wonders, whose silver shrines sparked the riot against Paul
- קְהִלָּהCuretes Street and the Library of Celsus, EphesusThe marble city Paul walked — with a landmark built a generation after him
- בַּיִתTerrace Houses (Hanghäuser) of EphesusWealthy homes of the city where Paul taught for two years
- צוֹרֵף כֶּסֶףEphesus Artemis Inscriptions: Salutaris Foundation and the AsiarchsStones from the theater confirming the goddess processions, silversmiths, and provincial officials of Acts 19
- שָׁאוּלGrotto of St Paul and the Thecla Fresco, EphesusA hillside cave with the oldest painted image of Paul found in Asia
- תֵּאַטְרוֹןTheater of CorinthRoman theater beside the Erastus pavement, seat of the city's public life
Sources
- Austrian Archaeological Institute, Ephesos excavations
- P. Trebilco, 'Asia', in The Book of Acts in Its Graeco-Roman Setting (1994)
- Wikipedia, "Ephesus" (Wood 1863–1874; Benndorf/Austrian excavations from 1895)