Vedius Gymnasium

The construction of the gymnasium dates around the second century AD, funded by Publius Vedius Antoninus and his wife Flavia Papiana. They dedicated the gymnasium to Goddess Artemis and to Emperor Antoninus Pius. In Ephesus, generally gymnasiums were the schools for young people in which one could take lessons for art, sports, literature, drama and speech.

The most important and beautiful of these gymnasiums was the Gymnasium of Vedius. The entrance of the gymnasium is on the east, and when entering there is a palaestra (courtyard), surrounded by columns. This was a 40 x 50m. large open field surrounded by the columns of 5m high.

The hall of emperors is also on the east, with statues and floors covered with mosaics. The ceremony room or the emperor's room is in a good shape.

The Vedius gymnasium included a bath with a tepidarium, a caldarium, and a frigidarium. There was a pool at the frigidarium, with the statue of the god of the River Kaistros in the north end, pouring water into the pool from the amphora that the god was leaning on. Today, one can see the statute in Izmir Museum.

The Vedius Gymnasium has largely been excavated and restored but still not finalized.