Artemis of the Ephesians
| Who was Artemis | The supposed goddess of fertility |
| Who worshipped her? | She was probably the most worshiped deity in Asia and perhaps the world during Paul's time. |
| What was worship like? | Hundreds of eunuch priests, virgin priestesses, and religious prostitutes served her. Worship rituals were quite erotic. |
| By what other names was Artemis known? | "Queen of Heaven", "Savior", and "Mother Goddess" |
| What role did Ephesus have in Artemis worship? | Ephesus was considered neokoros for Artemis, which meant the city was the center for Artemis worship and responsible for maintaining the cult's purity of worship. |
| How did Epheus benefit financially from the worship of Artemis? | The cult brought great wealth to the citizens of Ephesus because the temple of Artemis became the world's largest bank during that time. |
| What were Artemis festivals like? | Devotees came from all over the world to worship and celebrate during her festivals. ' Huge processions honored her statues. Celebrations were held with music, dancing, singing, dramatic presentations, and chanting of allegiance. |
| What were Artemis statues like? | They portayed Artemis as having many breast- a symbol of her fertility. The main statue in her temple may have been a black meteorite because she was said to have fallen from the sky. |
| What was the Artemis temple like? | The temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. |
| How else do we know that Artemis was important to Ephusus? | Two statues of her have been found in the Prytaneion- the "city hall" of Ephesus- indicating that she was considered to be the basis for life in the city. |
| What attracted the people to Artemis? | The promise of fertility, long life, sexual fulfillment, and protection during pregnancy and childbirth; the seductive sexuality of her worship. |
