ARTEMIS

(Arʹte·mis).

The Greek virgin goddess of hunting, identified by the Romans with Diana. According to classical mythology, Artemis was the daughter of Zeus and twin sister of Apollo, born of Leto as a result of an adulterous relationship with Zeus. Equipped with bow and arrows, Artemis is depicted as pursuing game, especially stags. Her worshipers believed, not only that she at times sent plagues, but also that she used her power to cause death. Additionally, healing powers were ascribed to her, and she was regarded as the protectress of the young, both of humans and animals.

Although the Greeks identified her with their own Artemis, the Artemis of Ephesus, worshiped in cities throughout Asia Minor, has little in common with the above-described Greek deity of classical mythology. (Acts 19:27) The Ephesian Artemis was a fertility goddess represented as having multiple breasts, a turreted crown and a kind of nimbus behind her head. The mummylike lower half of her body was decorated with various symbols and animals.

The Artemis worshiped at Ephesus has been closely connected with prominent goddesses of other peoples, and it is suggested that they have a common origin. A Dictionary of the Bible, edited by James Hastings, Volume I, page 605, observes: “Artemis presents such close analogies with the Phrygian Cybele, and with other feminine envisagements of the divine power in Asiatic countries, like the Cappadocian Ma, the Phoenician Astarte or Ashtaroth, the Syrian Atargatis and Mylitta, as to suggest that these are all mere varieties of one ultimate religious conception, presenting in different countries certain differences, due to varying development according to local circumstances and national character.”

The ancients ranked the temple of Artemis at Ephesus as one of the seven wonders of the world. It was an imposing structure made of cedar, cypress, white marble and gold. So sacred was it believed to be that treasures could be deposited in it without any fear of thievery, and criminals could find asylum within an area extending around the temple for a distance of about 600 feet (c. 183 meters), although this varied considerably at different periods A great number of virgin priestesses and eunuch priests served at this temple, married women not even being permitted to enter it under penalty of death.

For the great festivals held in the month of Artemision (March-April) visitors numbering up to 700,000 arrived at Ephesus from all of Asia Minor. One feature of the celebration was the religious procession, with the image of Artemis being paraded about the city in a most jubilant manner.

The making of silver shrines of Artemis proved to be a profitable enterprise for Demetrius and other Ephesian silversmiths. Therefore, when the apostle Paul’s preaching in Ephesus caused a considerable number of persons to forsake the unclean worship of this goddess, Demetrius stirred up the other craftsmen, telling them that Paul’s preaching not only posed a threat to their financial security, but also the danger existed that the worship of the great goddess Artemis would come to nothing. This culminated in a riot that was finally dispersed by the city recorder.—Acts 19:23-41; see EPHESUS.

[Picture on page 138]

Image of the goddess Artemis of Ephesus