Miletus

MILE'TUS (crimson ?), a city and seaport of Ionia, in Asia Minor. Situation. - Miletus was 36 miles south of Ephesus, and stood on the southwestern side of the Latmian Gulf, directly opposite the mouth of the river Meander. The sediment from the river had gradually filled up the gulf, and the city was a considerable distance from the sea. But in Paul's time it had four docks and a large commerce. The site is now some 10 miles inland. History. - Miletus was originally a Carian city; then the capital of Ionia; the mother of no less than 80 cities on various coasts, more particularly in the Euxine and the strait leading to it. Its period of greatest prosperity was 500 years before Christ. The Persians captured it b.c. 494, and Alexander the Great b.c. 334, after which the city never regained its former celebrity. It was the native place of many men renowned in history, among the most distinguished of whom were Thales and Democritus. Luxury and wickedness were characteristic of the inhabitants. Scripture References. - Paul stopped here on his voyage from Greece to Jerusalem returning from his third missionary-tour, and met the elders from Ephesus. Acts 20:15-38. From 2 Tim 4:20 it appears that Paul left Trophimus there sick, but it would appear that this must have been on another occasion, since, at the conclusion of this voyage, Trophimus was with the apostle at Jerusalem. Acts 21:29. This is supposed by many to indicate a later visit, after Paul's first imprisonment at Rome. One of the Epistles was sent to the Ephesians. Present Appearance. - Near the site of the ancient city is a small Turkish village called Melas. The most noteworthy ruins of former grandeur are the theatre, with its many tiers of seats in good preservation, and the temple of Apollo, of which a few columns are yet standing. The wandering channels of the Meander are near by, although the mouth of the river is 10 miles away.