Artemis as worshipped by the people of Ephesus. Bull's testicles and animal figures adorn her dress, and she wears a temple-crown. Ephesus Archeological Museum, Selcuk, Turkey

Another depiction of Artemis as worshipped by the people of Ephesus. Bull's testicles and animal figures adorn her dress. Ephesus Archeological Museum, Selcuk, Turkey

A massive Roman amphitheater built on the remains of the original Hellenistic theater in Ephesus. Here, St. Paul preached to the Ephesians--and was chased from the city by citizens chanting "Great is Artemis!"

The two-story facade of this Roman library, originally housing 12,000 scrolls, is the highlight of ancient Ephesus.

On the slopes surrounding Ephesus, the wealthy built houses into the terraces, one atop the other. Now housed beneath a protective canopy, the walls and floors, including brilliant original frescoes and mosaics, are still visible.

A columned path led from the docks to the amphitheater.

The great temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is now just a swamp peppered with the bases of fallen columns. A lone column has been re-erected on the site.

According to Christian tradition, this small house outside Ephesus (now a chapel) was the home of the Virgin Mary after she left the Holy Land.

Supplicants leave prayers written on scraps of paper for the Virgin Mary.

A stunning site that still holds the remains of the altar and several columns of Artemis's massive temple in Sardis, Turkey. It's a bit off the beaten path, so you can likely have it all to yourself if you visit.

Two massive columns still stand. Check out the small figure (me!) at the base for a sense of the scale. The base and capital of one column are now housed in the Met Museum in New York, but that display cannot do justice to the size and majesty of the columns in their original setting.

Surrounded by mountains and wilderness, the site feels permeated with the spirit of Artemis.