The ancient city of Ephesus enjoyed prosperity, but eventually it lay in ruins. Was it the result of human choices that ignored the order of nature? We will look back at the relationship between man and nature through the fall of Ephesus and seek the direction of sustainable development.
Since the beginning of human history, there have been examples of the use of nature bringing disaster. Humans have developed civilization by using nature, but sometimes they underestimate the power of nature or use it in the wrong way, causing unexpected disasters. The Mediterranean coast is the place where many civilizations, including the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, came and went. The region’s fertile soil and mild climate allowed agriculture and maritime trade to flourish, which in turn laid the foundation for the development of cities and the flowering of civilization. Looking at the Mediterranean today, however, it is hard to believe that it was once the site of the greatest civilization. The landscape of the Mediterranean has changed greatly over time, and as a result, many of its cities have declined or disappeared. Among them, Ephesus was a famous maritime city that flourished during the time when Rome built a huge empire. Ephesus is a good example of the prosperity of that time, and the Roman architecture and ruins that remain throughout the city give an idea of its grandeur. Now, however, only the remains of the huge circular stadium, marble columns and fine sculptures are scattered throughout the city, which has been reduced to ruins. One wonders how a city that once thrived on the bounty of nature could fall into such a state of devastation. How did Ephesus fall so quickly, and what caused it?
The reason is still not well understood, but it is likely due to changes in the ecosystem. Scholars who study the rise and fall of ancient cities emphasize the close relationship between the natural environment and human activity, using Ephesus as an example. Changes in the ecosystem can be seen by examining the flora that flourished at the time. Since plant pollen does not decay easily, it is preserved in the strata for a very long time. Therefore, the analysis of the pollen found in the strata can tell us not only about the flora and climate of the time, but also about the form of agriculture and the social landscape. Such research provides important clues to understanding the causes of the fall of ancient cities. Analysis of pollen from soil collected from Ephesus showed that wheat pollen was the main component in the layers from 2,000 years ago, when Ephesus was at its height. This indicates that wheat-based agriculture was prevalent. Wheat was the staple food of the people at that time, and agricultural activities to cultivate it greatly influenced the economic and social structure of the city. In older layers, a large amount of plantain pollen was found in the pastures. A large amount of pollen from oak trees was found in layers from 4,000 years ago, when there were no people living there. This indicates that the environment of Ephesus changed from a forest to a grassland to an agricultural area. In other words, as people gathered, the agricultural area expanded and the forest area gradually decreased.
Forests play a very important role in the water cycle. Forests with dense vegetation contain fallen leaves and surface soil, which can store a lot of water. The water stored here evaporates and becomes clouds, which then fall as rain and return to the forest. The natural cycle is so interconnected that any change in one element has a cascading effect on the others. In Ephesus, however, the flourishing of civilization led to the reduction of these forests, which in turn led to a reduction in rainfall due to the failure of the hydrological cycle. As the climate became drier and the land more barren, Ephesus suffered successive years of poor harvests, and the roots of the once-prosperous civilization began to shake. In addition, the surface soil of the bare mountains was washed away by rainwater, and the sea gradually filled in, causing Efeos’ trade to decline and it to lose its function as a maritime city. In the end, the city that humans left behind was in ruins.
This case leaves an important lesson for us today. If we use nature indiscriminately, we will inevitably pay the price. History has warned us many times that human beings are arrogant enough to think that they can conquer nature. For sustainable development, we must find a way to live in harmony with nature, or cases like Ephesus will be repeated.
