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The temple of Artemis was the largest temple of ancient times and was the first building made entirely of marble. It was built in 550 B.C.E. Funded by the Greek king Crosesus, the temple was built in Ephesus. It was decorated in gold and featured a huge statue of the goddess Artemis, one of the twelve Olympian gods. Artemi was the twin sister of Apollo, the god of truth and light. She was the daughter of Zeus, king of the Gods, and Leto, daughter of the Elder Gods. She was considered the goddess of wild animals, the forest and a huntress. She was also associated with the Moon. While Artemis was a Greek goddess, she did not originate with the Greeks. Statues of her have been found in other countries that date back thousands of years. Her original name was Kybele, but in Egypt she was called Isis The Arabs called her Lat, and the Romans called her Diana.
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Built on a platform 430 feet by 259 feet, the rectangular temple was larger than the Parthenon in Athens and measured 366 by 170 feet. The huge roof was supported by over 120 elaborately carved columns. The columns were not just one solid piece of stone. Each column consisted of about 12 cylindrical blocks of marble that were raised into place with pulleys and placed on top of one another to form a column. Once the columns were in place, stonemasons cut along, rounded grooves from the top to the bottom of the column to make them more ornate. Wooden beams provided a framework that supported the roof. Inside the temple were bronze statues and paintings. There was also a room that sheltered a magnificent statue of Artemis, the goddess of the forest and the goddess of fertility. The statue was inlaid with gold, silver, and ebony.
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The temple was not only a religious structure, it was a tourist attraction, meeting place, and a market. The temple was visited by merchants, tourists, and visitors who traveled to honour Artemis and bring her offerings. The presence of the temple brought wealth to the city of ephesus and to its artisans, who made statues and idols of the goddess. These artisans felt their livelihood was being threatened when St. Paul traveled to Ephesus to preach Christianity in about 57 C.E. Christianity taught that there was only one true god and that to worship idols and statues was a sin. The merchants who produced these idols confronted St. Paul and shouted at him.
In 356 B.C.E. a man name Herostratus was looking for a way to have his name live on in history. He decided that if he were to destroy the beautiful temple of Artemis, then people would remember him forever. So he set fire to the temple, and it was destroyed. The roof fell to the ground and the columns were knocked over. Herostratus had secured his place in the history books.
The temple was eventually rebuilt by Alexander the Great who conquered Ephesus. The Temple of Artemis was restored to its former beauty. The reconstructed temple lasted for many years but was looted by the Goths and then flooded. By 262 C.E. the temple had been destroyed beyond repair.
In 356 B.C.E. a man name Herostratus was looking for a way to have his name live on in history. He decided that if he were to destroy the beautiful temple of Artemis, then people would remember him forever. So he set fire to the temple, and it was destroyed. The roof fell to the ground and the columns were knocked over. Herostratus had secured his place in the history books.
The temple was eventually rebuilt by Alexander the Great who conquered Ephesus. The Temple of Artemis was restored to its former beauty. The reconstructed temple lasted for many years but was looted by the Goths and then flooded. By 262 C.E. the temple had been destroyed beyond repair.
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There is one question that is often asked regarding the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Why was it considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? After all, it was just a temple and there were many temples throughout Greece. The answer to this question is given by Philon of Byzantium, who is also credited with compiling the list of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. He said, “I have seen the walls and Hanging Gardens of Ancient Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the mighty work of the high Pyramids, and the tomb of Mausolus. But when I saw the sacred house of Artemis that towers to the cloud, the other wonders were placed in the shade, for the Sun himself has never looked upon its equal outside Olympus.”
Assignment:
Use the Slides template in your Google Classroom to complete this assignment.
Provide 3-5 reasons why you believe the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was considered to be one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. Use images found through the explore tab to enhance your presentation.
Use the Slides template in your Google Classroom to complete this assignment.
Provide 3-5 reasons why you believe the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was considered to be one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. Use images found through the explore tab to enhance your presentation.