Library of Celsus, Ephesus
Ephesus was an important coastal city for pagans and Christians, for religious and secular reasons, including being the place Romans landed when about to take over the province of Asia. Its ancient population was about a quarter of a million.The temple of Artemis at Ephesus was sponsored by the Lydian king Croesus, designed by the Greek architect Chersiphron, and decorated with bronze statues sculpted by the renowned Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas, and Phradmon.