Ephesus hosted some of the best and most well-known philosophers of ancient times such as Hipponax and Heraclitus. Also, one of the most important philosophical schools of the Ionian era called the ”Ephesian School” was in Ephesus too.
Heraclitus of Ephesus
”No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river, and he’s not the same man.”
Heraclitus of Ephesus
Heraclitus was a Greek philosopher from Ephesus who lived between 535 – 475 B.C. He is considered one of the most significant of the pre-Socratic philosophers. He created the idea of Logos causing change. He believed there is a constant change in the universe. Everything changing is controlled by the mysterious order called Logos. Many philosophers and church fathers who came after him such as Plato, Aristotle, Georg Hegel, Alfred North Whitehead, have claimed to have been influenced by the ideas of Heraclitus.
Heraclitus wrote a single book called ”On Nature”. His book has three parts called universe, politics, and nature. On Nature has verbal puzzles which made him earn the nickname ”the Riddler of Ephesus”. Heraclitus crafted meanings beyond the obvious making the readers think more. He idealized god, not as a being standing above everyone instead he thought god is the world we are living on the changes are caused by god.
Ephesian School of Philosophy
The Ephesian School was based on the works and ideas created by Heraclitus of Ephesus. People who attended this school called themselves ”Heracliteans”. The Ephesian school had close links and several similarities to the Milesian School of philosophy since they both believed in the divine is in the material. School of Ephesus was one of the main ideology centers of the Ionian League.
Tour Guide for Ephesus
Philosophy is always a hot topic in my Ephesus tours. The grand theater of Ephesus, Agora of Ephesus, and Odeon of Ephesus are my favorite places when it comes to telling about philosophers like Heraclitus. You can always contact me to ask your questions about Heraclitus and Ephesian School. You can write to me to get a price offer for a guided Ephesus tour. See you soon, Hasan Gülday.
