(n.) One of the chiefs or pontiffs of the Roman province of Asia, who had the superintendence of the public games and religious rites.ASIARCH

a'-shi-ark (Asiarches; the English Revised Version "the chief officers of Asia," the King James Version "the chief of Asia"): The title given to certain men of high honorary rank in the Roman province of Asia. What their exact functions were is not altogether clear. They derived their appellation from the name of the province over which they presided (compare BITHYNIARCH; CARIARCH; SYRIARCH).

Brandis has shown that they were not "high priests of Asia," as some have thought, but delegates of individual cities to the provincial Council (Commune Asioe; see ASIA MINOR) which regulated the worship of Rome and of the emperor. They were probably assembled at Ephesus, among other places, to preside over the public games and the religious rites at the festival, in honor of the gods and the emperor, when they sent word to Paul and gave him a bit of friendly advice, not to present himself at theater (me dounai heauton eis to theatron, Acts 19:31). The title could be held along with any civil office and with the high-priesthood of a particular city. They served for one year, but re-election was possible (the tenure of office, according to Ramsay, was four years). The municipalities must have shown the Asiarchs high honor, as we find the names of many perpetuated on coins and inscriptions. The office could only be held by men of wealth, as the expenses of the provincial games were for the greater part defrayed by the Asiarchs.

LITERATURE.

CI, 2511, 2912; CIL, 296, 297; Brandis, Pauly-Wissowa's Real-Encyclopedia, articles "Archiereus" and "Asiarches"; Strabo, XIV, 649; Eusebius, HE, IV, 15; Hicks, Ancient Greek Inscrs in the British Museum; Ramsay, Classical Review, III, 174; Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia, I, 55-58, and II, chapter xi; Guiraud, Les assemblees provinciales de l'Empire Romain; Lightfoot, Ignatius and Polycarp, II, 987.

M. O. Evans

775. Asiarches -- an Asiarch, an official of Asian cities
... an Asiarch, an official of Asian cities. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Asiarches Phonetic Spelling: (as-ee-ar'-khace) Short Definition: ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/775.htm - 6k

Under Verus, Polycarp with Others Suffered Martyrdom at Smyrna.
... worship.'. 27. When they had said this, they cried out and asked the Asiarch
Philip [1152] to let a lion loose upon Polycarp. But ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xv under verus polycarp with.htm

Polycarp is Sentenced to be Burned.
... of our gods, he who has been teaching many not to sacrifice, or to worship the gods."
Speaking thus, they cried out, and besought Philip the Asiarch [452] to ...
/.../the martyrdom of the holy polycarp/chapter xii polycarp is sentenced to.htm

The Date of the Martyrdom.
... The great Sabbath is that before the passover. The "eighth hour" may correspond
either to our 8 am or 2[pm. [478] Called before (chap. xii.) Asiarch. ...
/.../smyrna/the martyrdom of the holy polycarp/chapter xxi the date of the.htm

The Martyrdom of Saint Polycarp,
... to worship." [436]. Such things they shouted and asked the Asiarch Philip
[437] that he let loose a lion on Polycarp. But he said ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the martyrdom of saint polycarp.htm

Introduction
... 155. With this date the inscriptions that have come to light naming Quadratus
and also the Asiarch Philip of Tralles are in accord. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/richardson/early christian fathers/introduction 4.htm

Period ii. The Post-Apostolic Age: AD 100-AD 140
... overthrower of our gods, who teaches many neither to sacrifice nor to worship."
Saying these things, they cried out and demanded of Philip, the Asiarch, to let ...
/.../a source book for ancient church history/period ii the post-apostolic age .htm

Letter xxix. (AD 395. )
... I have sent a letter to the Asiarch. [1543]. Brethren most blessed, may
ye persevere in the Lord, and remember us. Amen. Footnotes: ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter xxix a d 395.htm

The Church History of Eusebius. Index of Subjects.
The life of constantine. <. ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/the church history of eusebius.htm

Asiarch
... of the public games and religious rites. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
ASIARCH. a'-shi-ark (Asiarches; the English Revised Version ...
/a/asiarch.htm - 8k

Cyprians (1 Occurrence)
... The governor of the island was called a Cypriarch (see 2 Maccabees 12:2, and compare
ASIARCH). AW Fortune. Multi-Version Concordance Cyprians (1 Occurrence). ...
/c/cyprians.htm - 7k

Chief (696 Occurrences)
... On "chief of Asia" (Acts 19:31 the King James Version) see ASIARCH. FK Farr. CHIEF
FRIENDS; GOOD MEN. See CHIEF FRIENDS; GOOD, CHIEF; CHIEF. CHIEF SEATS. ...
/c/chief.htm - 45k

Asians (1 Occurrence)

/a/asians.htm - 6k

Asiarchs (1 Occurrence)

/a/asiarchs.htm - 6k

Asia (22 Occurrences)
... Over it presided the asiarch, whose duty it was, among other things, to offer
sacrifices for the welfare of the emperor and his family. ...
/a/asia.htm - 71k

Jezebel (20 Occurrences)
... Abhandlungen, 39), that she is to be identified with the Chaldean Sibyl at Thyatira,
and also that of Selwyn making her the wife of the local asiarch. ...
/j/jezebel.htm - 26k

Minor (2 Occurrences)
... to light in recent years; it was those societies which fostered the cult of the
emperor on its local as distinct from its provincial side (see ASIARCH), and it ...
/m/minor.htm - 62k

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