226 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



into this theatre tlirough the central doorway, and, on clearing the 

 pulpltum^ or stage, discovered on the pavement many small fragments 

 of marble. These, on being put together, were discovered to contain 

 inscriptions in Greek; they were the text of three letters of Antoni- 

 nus Pius to the people of Epliesus, two dated a. d. 145, and one dated 

 five years later. This theatre was 153 feet in diameter, and could 

 seat 2,300 persons. Near it were found the remains of a tomb, which 

 Mr. Wood takes to be that of the evangelist Luke ; it was apparently 

 a circular building, 50 feet in diameter, standing in a quadrangle 150 

 feet across, surrounded by a colonnade. 



The exploration of the Great Theatre or amphitheatre began in 

 February, 1866. This was one of the largest structures of its kind in 

 Asia Minor, being 495 feet in diameter, and capable of seating 24,500 

 persons. Here were found many interesting Greek, and a few Latin 

 inscriptions chiefly decrees of the senate and people of Rome and 

 also some sculptures. One of these inscrij^tions, known as the Saluta- 

 rian inscription, furnished to the persevering explorer the clew to the 

 site of the temple. The inscription consisted of decrees relating to 

 gold and silver images vowed to Diana by C. Vibiiis Salutarius. It is 

 there prescribed that on certain days of assembly in the theatre these 

 images were to be carried in procession by a priest of the temple, ac- 

 companied by a staft-bearer; and after the assembly they were to be 

 carried back to the temple. Here was the desired clew to the site of 

 the temple. " There were," says Mr. Wood, " two gates to the temple, 

 named the Magnesian and the Coressian gates. It seemed to me that 

 if I could find these gates their direction could not fail to point to the 

 site of the temple. I at once searched for them, and in due time they 

 were found." 



In January, 1868, he put a gang of seventy men to work at the great 

 theati-e, and at the same time began to follow up the road leading 

 from the Magnesian gate. This consisted of three openings two for 

 foot-jjassengers, and one for wagons and chariots. The pavement 

 was intact, with four distinct chariot-ruts cut into it. Having fol- 

 lowed up this road for about VOO feet, Mr. Wood came upon the stone 

 piers of a portico 12 feet wide. This was undoubtedly the grand 

 portico built by Damianus, a rich Roman noble. Many tombs were 

 found, some of which were vaulted chambers finished in stucco or 

 cement, and painted, and these had tablets over them. In some of 

 the tombs were found several skeletons in one as many as fourteen 

 lying in various directions. Next he hit upon a corner of the Peri- 

 bolus wall, on which were inscriptions showing that this wall was 

 built in the time of Augustus. 



This v/as in May, 1869. The discovery of the Peribolus wall 

 proved sufiicient to induce the trustees of the British Museum to 

 make further advances of money, and accordingly work was resumed 

 in the October following. In the area within this wall, i. c., in the 



