Why was the goddess Artemis identified with the chief goddess of Ephesus?

The identification of the Greek goddess Artemis with the chief deity of Ephesus is a prominent example of religious syncretism, a process common during the Hellenistic period where diverse religious beliefs and practices were fused together.1

As the Greeks expanded their influence, they often adopted local nature divinities and identified them with their own deities by applying Greek names. The Artemis of Ephesus was fundamentally different from the virginal, huntress figure known in other parts of the Greek world; she was represented as an un-Greek, mummylike figure adorned with many breasts and reliefs of animals and bees.23

This local variation reflects the diversity of cult practice within Greek polytheism, where the attributes and forms of worship associated with a deity were adapted to fit the traditions of specific communities. By linking the Olympian Artemis to the pre-existing, powerful goddess of Ephesus, the Greeks integrated local religious traditions into their own broader mythological framework.2