4, ASIA M1INOR.—Here we have numerous testi- monies, and are able to demonstrate the presence of Jews in almost every quarter. They were most thickly settled in Phrygia and Lydia, and we know further how they came there. Antiochus the Great transplanted two thousand Jewish families from Mesopotamia and Babylonia to Lydia and Phrygia, because he considered them more loyal subjects than the Lydians and Phry- gians, who were inclined to revolt (Jos. Ant, XII ii. 4). While these Babylonian Jews peopled the inland provinces of Asia Minor, others were attracted by trade interests to the towns on the coast. An indirect evidence of the early appear- ance of the Jews in Asia Minor may be discovered also in 1 Mac 15%*4. According to this passage, the Romans in the year B.C. 139 simultaneously despatched to a number of kings a letter in identical terms, charging them to refrain from showing any hostility towards the Jews. From this it may be inferred that Jews were already to be found in all the places there named. Of States and cities in Asia Minor the following are men- tioned: the kingdoms of Pergamum and Cappa- docia ; the district of Caria, with the cities of Myndos, Halicarnassus, and Cnidos; Pamphylia, with the city of Side; Lycia, with the city of Phaselis ; and, finally, Sampsame, 7.e. the Samsun of later Arab geographers, or Amisus in Pontus, to the east of Smope. These various districts and cities were in the year B.C. 139 politically inde- pendent, and are therefore named separately beside the great kingdoms of Pergamum and Cappadocia.
As showing the great numbers and the pros- perity of the Jews of Asia Minor about the middle of the Ist cent. B.c., we have, on the one hand, the numerous acts in their favour during the closing years (B.C. 50-40) of the Roman Republic (collected by Josephus in Ant. XIV. x.); and, on the other hand, the remarkable passage in Cicero, pro Flacco, 28, in which he gives precise details as to the circumstances under which quantities of Jewish money, intended to be sent from Asia Minor to Jerusalem, were confiscated by the governor Flaccus (B.C. 62-61). The whole passage reads thus: ‘Quum aurum Judeorum nomine
uotannis ex Italia et ex omnibus provinciis Pi oecolvmnn exportari soleret, Ilaccus sanxit
edicto ne ex Asia exportari liceret. . . . Ubi ergo crimen est? quoniam quidem furtum nusquam reprehendis, edictum probas, judicatum fateris, quesitum et prolatum palam non negas, actum esse per viros primarios res ipsa declarat : Apamee manifesto deprehensum, ante pedes prietoris in foro expensum esse auri pondo centum paullo minus per Sex. Cesium, equitem Romanum, castis- simum hominem atque integerrimum ; Laodicece viginti pondo paullo amplius per hunc L. Pedu- ceum, jJudicem nostrum; Adramyttii per On. Domitium, legatum ; Pergami non multum.’ If we add to these general testimonies other special ones, particularly those of the inscriptions, we obtain for the Jews in Asia Minor the following data (commencing with the N.W.) :—
a. Adramyttium and Pergamum: the above oy of Cicero.
b. Phokea: an inscription (REJ xii. [1886] 236- 242—= Bulletin de corresp. hellén. x. [1886] 327-335) : Tdriov Xrpdrwvos rod ’Hyrédwvos roy olkov Kal rov mepiBoov Tob vmralOpov KaracKkevdoaca éx TO[y lO]wv exaploaro z[ois ’Ioludatos. “H owaywyh €[reluy|oev rov Tovdalwy Tdriov 2[rpdr]wvos rob ’Evrédwvos xpuoe ore- gavy Kal mpoedpla.
c. Magnesia on Mt. Sipylus: a Jewish tomb- inscription (REJ x. [1885] 76).
d. Smyrna: an inscription from the time of Hadrian, with a list of those who had made pres- ents to the city, among them of zoré Iovéato. (CIG 3148). The Jews played a prominent part in con- nexion with the death of Polvoanp (Martyr. Polyc. 12-13, 17-18 ; Vita Polycarpi auctore Pionio, ed. Duchesne, 1881; cf. also Reinach, REJ xi. 235- 238). ‘There is, further, this inscription from the 3rd cent. A.D. (REJ vii. [1883] 161-166) : ‘Poupetva Tovdata dpxicuvd-ywyos Kareckevacey 7d évaodptov Tots ameevbépos Kal Opéuacw undevos ddov eovolay éxovros OdwWar rivd, ef SE Tis ToAuroe, Sdboe TH lepwrdrw Tapely Onvapia ‘ad kal r@ Over Tov "lovdatwy dyvdpua ‘G. Tavrns ris érvypapfs 76 dvtiypadov amoxetrae els 7d apxetov.
e. Sardis: three official documents quoted by Josephus—1. A despatch of L. Antonius to the authorities of Sardis (B.c. 50, 49), permitting the Jews to refer their disputes for decision to their own tribunals, even when they are Roman citizens (Ant. XIV. x. 17). 2. A popular resolution of the city of Sardis, guaranteeing to the Jews the un- disturbed exercise of their religion (Ant. XIv. x. 24). 3. A despatch of C. Norbanus Flaccus, from the time of Augustus, to the authorities of Sardis, reminding them afresh of the religious freedom of the Jews (Ané. XVI. vi. 6).
f. Hypaepa, to the south of Sardis: an inscrip- tion of ¢. 200 A.D., containing only the two words Tovdalwy vewrépwv (RE J x. 741.).
g. Ephesus: the granting of the city franchise to the Jews, probably as early as the reorganizing of the city constitution by Antiochus 11. Theos (B.C. 261-246). Numerous official documents are quoted by Josephus, particularly those dating from the years B.C. 49-42, according to which the Jews living in Ephesus were exempted from military service even when they possessed the Roman citizenship (Ant. XIv. x. 11-13, 16, 19, 25. During the years named the Roman citizens in Asia Minor were called out for military service). Under Augustus the authorities of Ephesus were re- peatedly reminded that the Jews were not to be interfered with in sending the sacred money to Jerusalem (Philo, Legatio ad Gaiwm, § 40; Jos. Ant, XVI. vi..4, 7). Their synagogue is mentioned in Ac 18! *6 198, In a late tomb-inscription we meet with a Jewish dpylarpos (Ancient Greek In- scriptions in the British Musewmn, iii. 2, No. 677). The ‘head physicians’ were appointed by the city, and enjoyed immunity from all burdens.