Ephesus was one of the most powerful Greek cities in Asia Minor, although the most spectacular ruins are a legacy of Roman times. The surviving Temple of Artemision (or Temple of Artemis), is approximately twice the size of the Parthenon of Athens.
Ephesus established itself very early as a major intellectual center of the Eastern Mediterranean, guided by great scholars like Heraclitus. With its 12,000 scrolls of manuscripts, it rivaled the great library of Alexandria! Today it is nothing more than a swamp, 5 km from the sea.