CLAUDIUS (41-54)

"Diana – Artemis of Ephesus" The Temple of Artemis, known to the ancient Greeks as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was the greatest adornment of Ephesus in Asia Minor. Referred to as the Artemision, it was built by order of Croesus, the King of Lydia, around 560 BCE. Inside, a cedar statue of Artemis was housed. Among the sculptors involved in the construction were renowned artists such as Phidias, Polykleitos, and Kresilas.

The original statue of Artemis, now lost, was crafted from gold, silver, ivory, ebony wood, and black stone. The depiction of the goddess, resembling Egyptian sculptures, was particularly striking. Artemis was portrayed as a nurturing mother overseeing the earth, air, and water, granting life and fertility while also governing civilization.