Usky's visit to the city of Ephesus - Pt.3 - The Sacred Way, right side

The roadway that runs from the Dominitian Temple to the Library of Celsus was known as The Sacred Way or The Curetes Street.

The Sacred Way or The Curetes Street

The Curetes, a religious brotherhood, were serving the Artemision and held an annual procession from the Prytaneion to Ortygie to celebrate the birth of the goddess Artemis. That must have been something to see.

The Dominitian Temple

There are a number of buildings behind and beside the Dominitian Temple that are all built into the hillside. There was no information available to explain these, but I suspect some comprised part of the temple itself.

Some remind me of storerooms.

Judging from the decoration on some of the carved stone there must have been an Asclepion (healing temple) in this area.

The carved sign for an Asclepion

The serpent was used as a medical symbol because of the snake’s ability to shed its skin and renew itself. At the same time the ancients also knew that snake venom had curative powers.

A depiction of the god Asclepius

Continuing down The Sacred Way we pass Nike (pronounced Nee-key), the Winged Goddess of Victory in Greek Mythology (Roman name Victoria).

The winged goddess of victory Nike

Temple of Hadrian

The Emperor Hadrian visited Ephesus in 128 A.D. and built a temple on The Sacred Way in an act of commemoration.

Temple of Hadrian

Temple of Hadrian

Our next major relic is the Trajan Fountain (The Nympheum).

The Trajan Fountain

The fountain was destroyed by an earthquake, what we see today is a reproduction. The original was much taller and presumably grander, but at least we can get an idea of the fountain's magnificence.

Mosaic decoration

The lower section of the fountain contained two pools with a U-shaped two storey monumental facade.

Situated near the Trajan Fountain were the Scholastikia Baths. These had two entrances, one on The Sacred Way and the other on a street that ran parallel to it. The baths bare the name of a rich woman, Christiane Scholastikia, who restored them in 400 A.D.

Scholastikia Baths

Behind the baths and part of them are the communal toilets, for men only, where the important gentlemen of Ephesus would congregate to discuss topical affairs while they relieved themselves.

Detail from the toilets

Nice marble seating, perfectly cool on a hot day!

Toilets at Ephesus

The toilets were constructed along the walls of the baths and the Temple of Hadrian. They consist of marble benches, surrounding a pool with a wooden ceiling. A gutter in front of the benches contained continuously flowing clean water.

And this is a convenient place to close Part 3 of my Ephesus visit blog.