Ephesus: the Gate of Mazeus and Mithridates, the Marble Road and the Commercial Agora

The Gate of Mazeus and Mithridates is a triumphal arch located at the end of Curetes Street in the small square that forms the Celsus Library Court. It was built around 40 A.D. by the slave architects Mazeus and Mithridates in honor of the emperor Augustus who gave them both their freedom and sent them to Ephesus to serve as officers in charge of maintaining the properties belonging to the Roman Empire.

The Gate of Mazeus and Mithridates

The 16 metre tall gate has vaulted passages topped with cassettes. The side of the gate that faces the Celsus Library is made entirely of black marble, while the opposite side of the gate is made entirely of white marble.

Centre arch with dedication plaque

The roadway running through the Gate of Mazeus and Mithridates and past the Commercial Agora is known as the Marble Road. The Marble Road also forms part of the Sacred Way with Curetes Street. It was constructed in the 1^st century A.D. and its east side was adorned with marble sculptures along its 4 km length.

Pictogram advertising the Brothel 

A woman's head, a heart and a left foot had been drawn on the pavement of the street. This is considered to be one of the oldest advertisements as the message in the pictures, addressed to visiting sailors, gave directions to the Brothel.

The Marble Road

The western side of the Sacred Way was enclosed by the Commercial Agora. Visitors today can still see the remains of the columns standing on a base-wall of 1.7 meters high. This wall was built as a pedestrian walk-way during the reign of Nero, along with a series of stairs both on the north and the south ends of the Agora.

Commercial Agora

Being the most important trade center of Ephesus, the Commercial Agora was built in the third century B.C in the Hellenistic Period. It is in the form of a square with 110 meter sides, and surrounded completely by columns and had covered walkways (Stoa) to protect patrons from the sun.

The north side of the Agora is left open, and the other three sides are surrounded by a portico, in which there are rows of shops. At the center of the Agora was a sundial and a water-clock with a 20 minute cycle.

In addition to the marketing of goods there was also a slave market of beautiful girls brought to the city by sea. It was the second largest slave market of the Ancient World. An inscription found on the wall of agora says "The people of Ephesus express their gratitude to agoranome, (market supervisor) Eutuches, son of Menecrates, for having pre-empted a rise in the price of bread".

Remains of the Stoa (covered walkway)

Busts and statues of the important people of the time would have been erected along the Marble Road surrounding the Agora, and letters from the emperor would have been carved into the blocks of the road for people to read.