The city of Ephesus for the building of a public library

 Nikola Benin

Tiberius Iulius Celsus Polemaeanus enlisted in the Roman army at an early age and rose rapidly through the ranks. He was a supporter of Vespasian in the civil wars which followed the death of Nero. This led to Celsus’ appointment as praetor, senator, consul for year A.D. 92 and later as governor of the Roman province of Asia. When he died, he bequeathed a legacy to the city of Ephesus for the building of a public library. His son, Gaius Iulius Aquila, who served as consul for the year A.D. 110, oversaw the building of the library, which was dedicated in A.D. 135. It is estimated that the library contained more than 10,000 scrolls, making it one of the largest libraries in the Roman Empire. The Library of Celsus has become the iconic image of Ephesus. It fell into ruins following the Gothic invasion of Asia Minor. The elaborate façade was reconstructed by a team of Austrian archaeologists in the 1970’s.