De poorten van Mazeus & Mithridates en de commerciële agora

The Gates of Mazeus and Mithridates which are the entrance to the Commercial Agora of Ephesus are located just on the right side of the famous Celsus Library is.

The Commercial Agora of Ephesus is about two times bigger then the State Agora. It is the great bazaar of Ephesus and is about 11.000 sqm large. There were Hundreds of shops in the Agora. The Agora is also very close to the port of Ephesus. Four sides of the Agora were covered by the galleries, and its roof was carried by hundreds of marble columns. Shops were in the galleries. This Agora is also the place were St. Paul was making tents. He, Priscilla and Agrippa were tent makers. Fishes, meat, vegetables, fruits, spices, jewelry, gravestones, tools, clothes and more staff were sold in this Agora. It is known that the Agora existed in the Hellenistic time and was altered in the Roman era.

The Gates of Mazeus and Mithridates were built in around the 1st Century A.D. by the slaves who were architects. Mazeus and Mithridates were slaves and became free. To show their greetings to Emperor Augustus, they build this Gate. The gate has three passage ways, which are leading into the Agora. It is a marble structure. A Latin inscription is still visible. This inscription was carved onto to marble using letters made by copper. It says that, this gate were built by Mazeus and Mithridates to honor Caesar Augustus, his wife Livia, his son in law Marcus Agrippa and his daughter Julia.

The gate has been restored and is in a good condition.