=14. Ephesus= is 35 miles south-southeast from Smyrna, near where the river Cayster empties into the Gulf of Scala Nova. It was the capital of Ionia and had one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation. The ruins which remain consist chiefly of a magnificent theatre, supposed to be large enough to accommodate 30,000 people, a stadium or gymnasium, besides walls and towers and remains of the temple of Diana, for which it was most famous. The worship of Diana was attended with the study and practice of magic in various forms, and the “magical letters” spoken of by many classic authors[202] as “Ephesian letters” were in use at the time of the apostle’s visit. The temple was in its splendor also at that time.[203] On this the first visit, A. D. 54, of the apostle to Ephesus he remained but a short time, and then departed for Jerusalem, Acts 18:19‒21, and thence down to Antioch. THE THIRD MISSIONARY TOUR. =15. In this tour the starting-place= was at Antioch, as in the former tour. The churches planted in Galatia and Phrygia were visited, perhaps on the line of travel previously chosen, and then a course was taken direct to Ephesus, which now became the centre of the apostle’s labors, A. D. 54‒57. =16.= It was at the close of this visit that the remarkable tumult described in Acts 19 took place, A. D. 57. Paul now left Ephesus for Philippi by Neapolis, as in the previous journey, and thence to Thessalonica and Berœa, and onward by land to Corinth, a journey of about 220 miles through Thessaly and Achaia. =17.= But it seems, Rom. 15:19, that at Thessalonica Paul resolved to visit the lands west of Macedonia as far as Illyricum. This was probably in the summer of A. D. 57, and perhaps the autumn. The journey was along the Roman road to Dyrrachium, about 200 miles, and across several ranges of mountains. While at Dyrrachium it is probable he made a tour about 170 miles to the south to Neapolis, on the Bay of Arta, and returning by the city Apollonia on the Adriatic, came back to Berœa and thence to Corinth. The region which he visited was that Dalmatia referred to in 2 Tim. 4:10. Dalmatia was included in the greater region of Illyricum, and was upon the shore of the Adriatic, being contiguous to Mœsia on the north and Macedonia on the east. =18. After wintering at Corinth=, Paul with several friends, Acts 20:4, returned to Achaia, Berœa, and the towns previously visited, to Neapolis, and thence by sea to Troas. At this place the events stated in Acts 20 took place. Remaining a short time at Troas while his companions took ship, Paul walked across the promontory to Assos, about 25 miles distant by the road, and arrived in time to meet the ship, which had to stop at that city. The place Assos is now a small village known by the name Beiram.