Curetes Street also known as the Embolos in Late Antiquity is the diagonal street in Ephesus starting from the State Agora, passing the Slope Houses and going to the Library of Celsus. Curetes Street was both a main city street and an important processional route in the cult of Artemis, lined with shops, workshops and inns.
 
Archaeologists named it Curetes Street for an inscription that was found here naming the Curetes, or priests of Artemis
Curetes Street originates in Hellenistic times, it differs from the Hippodamian city grid plan that was popular at the time. Instead of running perpendicular to other streets, it cuts diagonally across the grid system.
This follows the archaic Processional Way, an important sacred route leading to the Temple of Artemis.

After an earthquake in the 4th century, many of the columns were replaced with those from other buildings in the city. The differences between the design of the columns can be seen today. The street has its appearance from the 4th century.

There were fountains, monuments, statues and shops on the sides of the street. The shops on the south side were two-storied...

There were also many houses on the slope.These were used by the wealthiest of Ephesians.Under the houses there were colonnaded galleries with mosaics on the floor located in front of the shops with a roof to protect the pedestrians from sun or rain.