The Roman Sky

As seen on Astronomy Picture of the Day starry night above the Temple of Hadrianus and the marble road or the Arcadian Street in Ephesus, built in 2nd century AD. This panoramic view shows Hadrianus Temple to the left, the Arcadian Street at the center and terrace houses to the right. Despite the light pollution of nearby town of Selçuk, the rising summer Milky Way rising can be seen over the ancient structures with bright planet Jupiter (near to opposition) as a signpost to the Arcadian Street. Ephesus was a city of ancient Anatolia. Ephesus hosted one of the seven churches of Asia, addressed in the Book of Revelation of The Bible. It is also the site of a large gladiator graveyard. The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), and both were destroyed by the Goths in 263. The emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city and erected a new public bath. The town was again partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614. Today’s archaeological site lies 3 kilometers south of the Selçuk district of Izmir Province, Turkey.

As noted by the photographer “It was the hottest day of the year, slightly edging the day prior, at 39 C. But I was there at a later hour when the sun and all baked visitors left the ancient city. While I was walking alone in this heritage of history I took off my shoes and socks to experience the smooth marble pavement of the Arcadian Street”.