Ephesus, located on the Aegean coast of Turkey, was one of the great cities of the Greek and Roman world, along with being significant in the history of early Christianity. Today it is a ruin. This video explains why and how it happened. It is particularly good explaining the geophysical reasons for its decline and how spoliation works when it came to disassembling much of the city's monumental architecture. It's also a reminder of the fragility of civilization. During Roman times the governmental structure, finances, and technology allowed for the dredging to keep the harbor of Ephesus open, but once the empire became poorer and technical knowledge declined, so did the ability of the city to thrive.
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