Ephesus, Greek city in Asia Minor sacred to Artemis, south of Izmir, Turkey
Fishburn and Hughes: "One of the largest cities of Greek origin in the Roman world, the capital of the Roman province of Asia. The temple of Diana at Ephesus was one of the 'seven wonders of the world'.
Deutsches Requiem: St Paul lived and preached in Ephesus for three years (Acts 18 and 19); subsequently the city was the scene of many acts of Christian persecution.
The Zahir, CF 244: refers to the seven sleepers of Ephesus: according to Christian legend seven noble Christian youths who took refuge in a cave during the Decian persecution (c. AD 250) and were walled in. They fell asleep for 187 years, awakening at the time of Theodosius II, when Christianity had become the established religion. The coin referred to was tendered by one of the sleepers at a baker's shop, arousing suspicion because it was of the time of Decius. The youth was accused of hoarding hidden treasure but proved his innocence by leading the authorities to the cave, where the other six recently awakened sleepers were waiting for him 'beaming with a holy radiance'. The youths proclaimed to the emperor that 'God had wrought this wonder to confirm his faith in the resurrection of the dead'; after which they died." (67)