WHERE A GODDESS LIVED
Long ago, the people of Greece and Rome believed in many gods and
goddesses. Stories, which we call myths, were made up about the gods and
goddesses. These myths helped to explain the things in nature that the
people did not understand. The myths also told of special powers the
gods and goddesses had to help or harm others.
One of the goddesses was the protector of wild animals. People in Greece
called her Artemis. People in Rome called her Diana. The Greeks built a
temple to honor her, and they put a statue of her inside the temple. The
temple was made of white marble and glittered with gold. It was so large
that some said it “rose to the clouds.”
The Temple of Artemis was built more than 2,500 years ago. It took many
years to build. When it was finished, people traveled great distances to
see this wonder. Then the temple was destroyed by fire. Rut people loved
the goddess so much, they built an even fancier temple in the same
place.
Years and years later, enemy soldiers burned down the temple. It was
never rebuilt. Even though the Temple of Artemis is gone, you can read
about it in many books—even the Bible. Today, you can see the ruins of
the temple at Ephesus in the country of Turkey.
