Harbor of Ephesus Detail

View looking down and northwest onto the old Harbor of Ephesus.  The outline of the ancient harbor, now mainly silted up, is visible in the image.   In the upper portion of the image, the first white stripe running across the whole width of the image is the runway of an airport for small planes.  The second is that of the main road that leads from Kuşadası to Selçuk.

The harbor was first constructed during the rule of Attalos II (159–138 B.C.), king of Pergamum.  It was modified many times and because of silting, the Romans had to dredge a channel to connect it to the Aegean Sea.  Today it is about 3 mi. to the Aegean.

The harbor was very important for the economy of Ephesus, for from here, goods that had been transported from the (Far) East would be loaded onto boats and shipped to Rome and other places on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

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Paul probably arrived at this harbor when coming from his 18-month stay in Corinth, on his way to Jerusalem.

Acts 18:18     Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken.  19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.  20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined.  21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.  22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

And of course, departed from here after ministering about 3 years in Ephesus.

Acts 20:1    When the uproar [at Ephesus] had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia.

On the right side of the image, the remnants of the Harbor Bath are visible.