• Perhaps an example of thew Ephftia f^rammata occur* on a coin of the ImiKjrial time, as Mr. Head suggests in his Cat. Brit. Ahts. (Ionia), p. 70.
t At K. the guilas of the Woolworkers (Katwrnpiti), the Sur- veyors (v«ujv<w), and the Workmen before the Uatc (i^yaiTaj wfi*ruki'iT»i ffitt f-M n«ri«%vH) are mentioned in inscriptions. A list of trade guilds in the Asian cities is givi>ri by Oohler in Branng Viiulot/oiu'tviiSf p. ^7(J t. ; cl. Liebeuam* Hotni*cftr» Vtreiixnoeten, p. 167.
offlcerB ; and it is also regularly mentioned in the preamble to decrees, along with the Sen;.te, as giving validity and authority to tlecrees wliich had been prepared by tbe Senate and sub- mitted to it for itH a]>pro\al.* The Senate (^tuXt,) in the Asian cities was transfonned by gnidual steps from the old Or. form of a body elected annually by the citizens, to the Rom. form of a body tille<i up by dibtiiigui^hed citizens (esu. all who had held any of the higher magiistrucics), retaining ineir seats for life. Concurrently with this change in its constitution, it encroached more and more on the powers of the Assembly. But at the same time another transfurming process went on simul- taneously, as the Horn, imperial authority encroached OD the municipal privilege of self-administration ; and in this trans- fonnatum tiie Senate was made by slow steps a mere instrument of the Itom. imperial government.
The Secretary of the city (>'^at,u^Asru>< r^t wotitax, called also i 'E^i*'/*'!' ypctfj-fMLTti/f, or yfiOLfjLfjM.Ttu( Tou iy.fM>v) was perhaps the most influential individual in the city. Mr. Hicks well says that • OS the real vigour of the Assembly declined in the atmos- phere of imperial rule, it was more and more left to the Secretary to arrange the business of the Assembly. Together with the Strategoi he drafted the decrees to be propo-scd.t He had tlie decrees engraved. He took charge of money left to the people of Epheaus.' Further, it is clear that he acted as a channel of communication between the Rom. provincial administration and themunioii)ality (tf.a. intlie inscription. Hicks, p. 154) ; and thus, as the Rom. central authority encroached on the municipality, the Secretary l>ecame more and more important. These facts explain the part played by this ollicial in Ac llP^-**, an incident which throws a clear light on this obscure subject, and is in perfect accord with all that we learn about it from other sources. He came forword as the agent of the municipal government, and calmed the mob by a skilful speech ; he spoke of the close relation between the city and the temple, and the sacredness of the gmidess, as universally acknowledged ; he mentioned, as an obvious and familiar fact, that Paui and his associates had not been guilty of acts or words disresjiectful to the goddess (see Cm KcnKtt.' RomiBkS of); he pointed out that there was an establitilu'd method of legal procedure, whereby they should seek redress for any injury of which they complained, but that persistence in their riotous conduct was criminal, and likely to call down severe punishment; and then he dismissed the assembly. His recognition of the meeting as an ixxXr.ffm was important : he did so in order to shield it, so far as he could, from lioiiian censure.
The Sei-Tetary advised the concourse to disperse, and wait until Uie lawful Ecclesia (8o AV, regular asseniblv RV) should meet, and settle anything furihcr which they wislud to bring before it. The old" Gr. distinction between regular ordinary meetings on days agreed beforehand {*o/Muai ixKXvrteti, Hicks, No. 481, 1. 34U) and extraorditiary meetings, specially suiu- nioned, had been modified by the Rom. government in such a way that pennis.sion of the Rom. olhcials was reipiired before a meeting of the Kcclesia could be legally held ; and from this it resulted that no extniordinary A8semi)ly could be sunuuoned except by the Rom. othcials tliemselves, who had the right to call the people together at any time.l Hence this suddenly conxened meeting was not legal, and couhl not carry any busi- ness through ; and, moreover, it might provoke inquiry from the Romans (who were always jealous ot the right of free meeting), and even result in punishment (such as the prohil>ition for a time of all right of holding the Ect^lesia) ; for, as the Secn-tary pointed out, the city could not Justify it by pleaduig any rause for it.
In the city of E., then, there were three distinct powers, which were broii^dit into contactor conflict in the 1st and 2nd cent. : the hierarcliy of the tcmjile, t!ie government of the city, and the new reli<,'ion preached by St. Paul. At hrst it is clear that there was no opposition on the part of the municipal government to Christianity. The Sec- retary of the city speaks for tlie government, and points out that the Christians have not been guilty of disrespect in act or word towunls the established system, while the rioters have brought the city into danger of reprimand and imnishnient from the imperial rule. Thi; wliule tone is one of superiority to, and aliiuist of contempt for, the 8uperstitii)us vtilgar, together witli recognition of the right of St. Paul to preach, so lon^x as he showed proper respect to the laws and in.stitutions of the city. A convinced Cliristian, who was at the same time a man of atlairs, could not have taken a line tliat wa,s better calculated to put St. I'aul in the right and tlie rioters in the wron-: ; and we shall probably not err in believing that the general tone of the educated otiieials and tlie priests of high rank at this time was one of perfect