Theater (Ephesus)

The Great Theatre of Ephesus is one of the largest and best-preserved open-air theatres of antiquity, originally laid out in the Hellenistic period and expanded under Roman rule to hold an estimated 25,000 spectators. Carved into the western slope of Panayır Dağı, it exploits the natural hillside for acoustics in the classic Greek manner. The site carries a specific biblical resonance: the Acts of the Apostles records that the silversmith Demetrius roused a crowd here against the Apostle Paul, one of the earliest documented clashes between early Christianity and the established cults of Artemis. From the upper tiers, visitors look out over the Sacred Way and the silted-up basin of what was once one of the busiest harbours in the ancient Aegean. Occasional open-air concerts still test the theatre's remarkable acoustic design.