City of Ephesus, wonder of the world
3 September 2021
Lecture with Georg Plattner, Director of the Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities
(in German language)
Ephesus, located in modern-day Turkey, was one of the largest cities in the ancient world and, with the Temple of Artemis as a wonder of the ancient world, was an important centre of the Mediterranean region. Masterpieces from the theatre and the magnificent baths in Ephesus, such as the bronze statue of an athlete and an extremely lively frieze depicting Erotes hunting wild animals, were brought to Vienna over 100 years ago as a gift from the Sultan. Today, current research projects are on the trail of production techniques, colour residues and wandering artists and have yielded some surprising results.