Ephesus was a coastal city that established commercial and cultural ties with various cities in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Aegean for many years. Therefore, people of many different ethnic backgrounds and cultures lived in Ephesus and preserved their native languages, even though Greek, the official language, and later Latin were spoken.
There has always been a Jewish community in Ephesus, who worshiped in their synagogue. People in this community used their language among themselves and during worship. Similarly, the Arab population of Egyptian origin in the city also spoke their language in certain circles.
Because Ephesus was a city where different cultures were blended, various dialects of ancient Greek were also used. Thousands of words from ancient languages spoken in various places such as Anatolia, Crete, Cyprus, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Phoenicia, many of which have been lost today, were included in the spoken language of Ephesus. Additionally, many words from languages such as Hittite, Carian, Lycian, Phrygian, and Lydian were also used in ancient Greek.
Throughout its history, Ephesus has been influenced by various cultures and languages. Therefore, many languages have been spoken and used in Ephesus.
In ancient times, the Ephesus region was under the influence of various civilizations such as the Lydians and Persians living in Anatolia. During this period, different languages such as the Lydian language, Persian language, and Anatolian languages were spoken in the region.
Later, in the Hellenistic period, Ephesus was founded by colonies from Greece. During this period, the official language used in Ephesus was Greek. However, different Greek dialects were also used. For example, the Ionian dialect spoken by the Ionians was widely used on the Aegean coast. Additionally, the Doric dialect was also used in Ephesus.
Ephesus was also an important city during the Roman Empire period. Latin was used as the official language during this period. However, the language spoken among the people in Ephesus was still Greek.
A Jewish community also lived in Ephesus. They spoke Aramaic among themselves. Similarly, the Arab population of the city, which originated from Egypt, spoke Arabic.
Since Ephesus was a city where different cultures were blended, many different languages were used. Thousands of words from ancient languages spoken in various places such as Anatolia, Crete, Cyprus, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, many of which are now extinct, were included in the language spoken in Ephesus. In addition, many words from languages such as Hittite, Carian, Lycian, Phrygian, Lydian were also used in ancient Greek.
In conclusion, the ancient city of Ephesus has been influenced by many different languages throughout its history. Therefore, many languages were spoken in Ephesus, including the Lydian language, Persian language, Anatolian languages, Ionian dialect, Doric dialect, Greek, Latin, Aramaic, Arabic, Hittite, Carian, Lycian, Phrygian, and Lydian. The influence of these different languages has greatly enriched the culture and history of Ephesus.