ASIARCHAE
ASIARCHAE (
ἀσιάρχαι) were, in
the Roman province of Asia, the chief presidents of the religious rites,
whose office it was to exhibit games and theatrical amusements every year,
in honour of the gods and the Roman emperor, at their own expense, like the
Roman aediles. As the exhibition of these games was attended with great
expense, wealthy persons were always chosen to fill this office; for which
reason, Strabo says, some of the inhabitants of Tralles, which was one of
the most wealthy cities in Asia, were always chosen asiarchs. A list of ten
names was drawn up annually by delegates (
σύνεδροι) of the different towns of Asia, at the general
assembly (
κοινὸν Ἀσίας), and the
selection of
[p. 1.211]one made by the Roman proconsul. It
appears, however, that the duty was frequently shared among a large number,
doubtless in order to lighten the burthen of the expense. The office lasted
only for a year; but the Asiarchs appear to have enjoyed the title as a mark
of courtesy for the rest of their lives. In the other Roman provinces in
Asia, we find similar magistrates corresponding to the Asiarchae in
proconsular Asia, as for instance the Bithyniarchae, Galatarchae,
Lyciarchae, &c. (
Strab. xiv.
p.649; Acts 19.31, with the notes of Wetstein and Meyer;
Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 4.15; Winer,
Biblisches Realwörterbuch, art.
Asiarchen; Babington,
Numism. Chron. 1866,
p. 93 if.; and especially M. Waddington in Le Bas,
Voyage
archéol. part v.
Explication des
Inscriptions, No. 885.)
[
A.S.W]
