Memmius Monument (Ephesus)

The Monument to Memmius was an ancient commemorative monument of the city of Ephesus, in Asia Minor, in present‑day Turkey. Its ruins are part of the archaeological site of Ephesus, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It was built at the end of the Hellenistic period, between the years 50 and 25 BC. It was dedicated to Gaius Memmius, grandson of Sila and consul in 34 BC, according to the Greek and Latin inscriptions of the building. Currently, the remains of the monument are among the few that remain in Ephesus, as are the scarce structures of the Hellenistic period. The monument was excavated between 1959 and 1960. It has now been restored.

It was located near the intersection of Curetes Street and Domitian Street. It had an almost square plan and resembled a Hellenistic tomb and commemorative monument in the form of a tower. According to a reconstruction, it would have had a pointed upper part. The walls of the building had openings on the south, east and west sides. They were topped by arches supported by carvings of caryatids. The building was also decorated with statues of members of Memmius’s family, as well as statues of his virtues.

Near the monument was the well Hydreion, built in the 1st century AD and rebuilt in the 2nd century AD. In front of it stood statues of Diocletian and the tetrarchs.