A scenic archaeological trip to EPHESUS

[2PhiloVoid]

Just for the sheer pleasure of watching a well-done scenic trip to Ephesus made by Historian / Ancient Archaeologist, Dr. David Miano, I've linked a recent video he published below. I generally enjoy watching many of his presentations (even if I might not necessarily agree with everything he presents on his youtube channel). Whatever the case may be, he's interesting, and I really like this presentation of his walk through Ephesus. It's somewhat extensive, and Ephesus is one archaeological site that has a few more ruins to see than some other Anatolian/European sites.

Secondly, not only do I enjoy studying history and archaeology, but it was the portion in Acts 18:18-19:41 that, back when I read it for the first time in the mid 1980s, switched something in my mind, enabling me to begin to sense how the New Testament wasn't just a collection of old stories but a presentation of historical narratives. It would be an understatement for me to say that watching Dr. Miano's video (and a small handful of other videos out there similar to his) enlivens my imagination and helps me to "see" the setting surrounding some of what Paul, and Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos, and Gaius and Aristrarchus experienced at that time. Of course, the video also captures aspects of Christian History that followed after the 1st century, too.

So, watch. comment. enjoy! [And you can start at minute marker 1:23 to cut out his intro advertisement]

Ephesus: The History Behind the Ruins - Dr. David Miano​

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[public hermit]

Just for the sheer pleasure of watching a well-done scenic trip to Ephesus made by Historian / Ancient Archaeologist, Dr. David Miano, I've linked a recent video he published below. I generally enjoy watching many of his presentations (even if I might not necessarily agree with everything he presents on his youtube channel). Whatever the case may be, he's interesting, and I really like this presentation of his walk through Ephesus. It's somewhat extensive, and Ephesus is one archaeological site that has a few more ruins to see than some other Anatolian/European sites.

Secondly, not only do I enjoy studying history and archaeology, but it was the portion in Acts 18:18-19:41 that, back when I read it for the first time in the mid 1980s, switched something in my mind, enabling me to begin to sense how the New Testament wasn't just a collection of old stories but a presentation of historical narratives. It would be an understatement for me to say that watching Dr. Miano's video (and a small handful of other videos out there similar to his) enlivens my imagination and helps me to "see" the setting surrounding some of what Paul, and Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos, and Gaius and Aristrarchus experienced at that time. Of course, the video also captures aspects of Christian History that followed after the 1st century, too.

So, watch. comment. enjoy! [And you can start at minute marker 1:23 to cut out his intro advertisement]

Ephesus: The History Behind the Ruins - Dr. David Miano​

​

Yeah, I love this kind of stuff. How about the Library of Celsus? I wonder what works it contained!

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Yeah, I love this kind of stuff. How about the Library of Celsus? I wonder what works it contained!

Works? ... from the looks of it, the report about its containing magnificence works within its walls was just ....... a facade.

[ ...... insert complimentary "Bad-Um Tss" here ........ ]

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Yeah, I love this kind of stuff. How about the Library of Celsus? I wonder what works it contained!

But seriously. I don't know. What works do you surmise were in there? Maybe something from Justin Martyr?

 

[public hermit]

Works? ... from the looks of it, the report about its containing magnificence works within its walls was just ....... a facade.

[ ...... insert complimentary "Bad-Um Tss" here ........ ]

I must have missed that. Do you mean all that remains is the facade? Yes, of course.

The Library of Celsus in ancient Ephesus, located in western Turkey, was a repository of over 12,000 scrolls and one of the most impressive buildings in the Roman Empire. Constructed in the 2nd century CE, it was named after the city's former Roman governor. Today, only the library's impressive facade remains of this once great building and is a silent witness to the city's stature as a great centre of learning and early Christian scholarship during the Roman period.

Library of Celsus

The Library of Celsus in ancient Ephesus, located in western Turkey, was a repository of over 12,000 scrolls and one of the most impressive buildings in the Roman Empire. Constructed in the 2nd century...

www.worldhistory.org

Just the thought that it contained works we know about but don't have is enough to make me sad but also intrigued. lol.

This library was part of the triumvirate of libraries in the Mediterranean which included the aforementioned Library of Pergamum and the great Library of Alexandria.

List of libraries in the ancient world - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[public hermit]

But seriously. I don't know. What works do you surmise were in there? Maybe something from Justin Martyr?

Yeah, that's just it. It might have contained works we wish we had but don't. What if it contained "The Collected Works of Heraclitus," the first to speak of the logos as word/reason of the cosmos? lol. That would be wonderful. Maybe it contained something that would have made the whole course of western thought take a different turn, but we didn't know so, oh well, here we are.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Yeah, that's just it. It might have contained works we wish we had but don't. What if it contained "The Collected Works of Heraclitus," the first to speak of the logos as word/reason of the cosmos? lol. That would be wonderful. Maybe it contained something that would have made the whole course of western thought take a different turn, but we didn't know so, oh well, here we are.

Definitely! It's a shame that so much has been lost from the first few centuries. But you know, they're saying that Ephesus has only been 10-20% excavated, so who knows? One can only hope they'll come across some chest of books still buried in another neighborhood of the city. But whatever's there, I'm sure it'll be an awesome find.

PH, have you ever toured any of the Mediterranean nations and visited their ruins? I've never been, so I thought I'd ask.

 

[public hermit]

PH, have you ever toured any of the Mediterranean nations and visited their ruins? I've never been, so I thought I'd ask.

No, and I can't see myself making the trip, which is probably why I enjoy these kinds of videos. They are sufficient for me.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Yeah, that's just it. It might have contained works we wish we had but don't. What if it contained "The Collected Works of Heraclitus," the first to speak of the logos as word/reason of the cosmos? lol. That would be wonderful. Maybe it contained something that would have made the whole course of western thought take a different turn, but we didn't know so, oh well, here we are.

Ok. I see now. The Library of Celsus was named after an earlier senator, not the philosopher who lived a few decades later. That makes more sense timewise. I was wondering about that.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

No, and I can't see myself making the trip, which is probably why I enjoy these kinds of videos. They are sufficient for me.

Same here.

 

[public hermit]

Ok. I see now. The Library of Celsus was named after an earlier senator, not the philosopher who lived a few decades later.

I wondered about that, too. I thought he might be the namesake of Origen's Contra Celsus, but couldn't find the connection, as you mention, the dates don't quite align. It was probably a popular name, like James. lol.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I wondered about that, too. I thought he might be the namesake of Origen's Contra Celsus, but couldn't find the connection, as you mention the dates don't quite align. It was probably a popular name, like James. lol.

From the article you linked, I found the following about the senator for whom the Library was named:

Commissioned in 114 CE by Tiberius Julius Acquila and finished by his heirs, the library was built to commemorate his father Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus who had died the same year, aged 70. Celsus had been a member of the Roman Senate and he was, from 105 to 107 CE, the proconsul of Ephesus.​

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He was also rich.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I wondered about that, too. I thought he might be the namesake of Origen's Contra Celsus, but couldn't find the connection, as you mention, the dates don't quite align. It was probably a popular name, like James. lol.

Dude, check the portion toward the end of Dr. Miano's video [~39:15] where he sees one of the Artemis statues in a museum. They placed it in the dark, making it sort of eerie looking. Then next to that is a large but crumbled statue head of one of our 'favorite' Roman emperors, Domitian.

 

[public hermit]

He as a huge fan of Christians.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

He as a huge fan of Christians.

That's what I've heard .....