1 P 1^ is a clear instance of the use of geograph- ical terms in the Roman administrative sense. The four provinces named — Bitliynia and Pontus, though here separated, being really one — sum up the whole of Asia Minor north of Taurus, The Seven Churches of Revelation were all in pro- consular Asia (Rev P*"), and it is possible that the so-called ' Epistle to the Ephesians ' was an encycla to a group of churches in that province.
For the ' Asiarchs ' (RVm) of Ac 19^^ see following article,
LrrERATURB.— F. J. A, Hort, The First Epistle of St. Peter, London, 1898, p. 157 f. ; A. C. McGiffert, Apostolic Age, Edin- burgh, 1897, p. 273 f . ; W. M. Ramsay, Church in Roman Empire, London, 1893, and St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen, do. 1895, passim. JaMES STRAHAN,
ASIARCH.— In Ac 19^1 RVm reads 'Asiarchs' for RV ' chief officers of Asia ' and AV ' chief of Asia.' The word is a transliteration of the Gr. 'Acndpxv^, derived from 'Acrla, ' province of Asia,' and fipxf'j * to rule,' and belongs to a class of names, of which BLOwidpxv^t TaXarApxris, Kair-iradoK- dpxv^t AvKtdpxv^, UovTapxvSt ^vpi.dpxv^ are other examples. The titles are peculiar to Eastern, Greek-speaking, Roman provinces. As the real rulers of these provinces were the Roman Emperor and the Roman Senate, with their elected repre- sentatives, it is clear that such titles must have been honorary and complimentary. With regard to the duties and privileges attached to the dig- nities thus indicated there has been much discus- sion. The titles occur rarely in literature, much more often in inscriptions ; and the lessons we learn from inscriptions are in direct proportion to their number. Several scholars of repute have held the view that the term 'Aaidpxv^ is equivalent to dpxtepeus 'Acrias ('high priest of Asia'), the pre- sident of the Diet of Asia {koivov ttjs 'Aalas, com- mune Asice). This Diet of Asia was a body composed of a number of representatives, one or more of whom were elected by each of a number of cities in the province. The principal duty of tlie president of this body was to supervise tlie worsliip of Rome and the Emperor throughout the province (see under art. Emperor- Worship). Certain considerations, however, militate against the view that the terms ' Asiarch ' and ' high priest of Asia' are interchangeable. The word 'Affidpxv^ is never feminine, whereas the title ' high priestess of Asia ' is often api)lied to the wife of the high priest. There was only one dpxi-epei/s'Aalas (without further designation) at a time, whereas there were a
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number of Asiarchs. Another (civil) office could be held concurrently with the Asiarchate, but not with the chief priesthood of Asia. Further, the title ' Asiarch ' was held only during a man's period of office (probably one year*), but he was eligible for re-election. The origin of the view that ' Asiarch ' and ' high priest of Asia ' are two convertible terms is to be found in the Martyrdom of Poly carp (A.D. 155), where two separate persons named Philippos have been confused : (1) Philip of Smyrna, Asiarch, who superintended the games ; (2) Philip of Tralles, who was high priest of Asia (the latter had been an Asiarch a year or two be- fore). It is clear, therefore, that the honorary position of Asiarch was inferior to the office of high priest of Asia. Yet there was a connexion between the two. The high priest presided over the games, etc. , but the Asiarchs did the work and probably paid the cost. Their election by their fellow-citizens to this honorary position was re- warded by games and gladiatorial shows. Both the Asiarchs and the high priest disappear after the early part of the 4th cent., for the obvious reason that, as the Empire was henceforth offici- ally Christian, the machinery for Emperor-worship had become obsolete.
When we come to study the connexion of the Asiarchs with the Acts narrative, we are puzzled. It seems at first sight so strange that men elected to foster the worship of Kome and the Emperor should be found favouring the ambassador of the Messiah, the Emperor's rival for the lordship of the Empire. This is only one, however, of a number of indications that the Empire was at first disposed to look with a kindly eye on the new religion. Christianity, with its outward respect for civil authority, seemed at first the strongest supporter of law and order. Artemis-worship, moreover, bulked so largely in Ephesus as perhaps to dwarf the Imperial worship. Thus St. Paul, whose preaching so threatened the authority of Artemis, may have appeared in a favourable light to the representatives of Caesar-worship, as likely to create more enthusiasm in that direction.
See also artt. Diana and Ephesus.
Literature. — C. G. Brandis, g.w. ' Asiarches,' ' Bithyni- arches,' ' Galatarches,' in Pauly-Wissowa, Stuttgart, lb94fF. ; J. B. Lightfoot, Appendix, 'The Asiarchate' in his Apostolic Fathers, pt. ii. vol. iii., Loudon, 1SS9, p. 404 ff. ; W. M. Ram- say in Classical Reoiew, iii. [1SS9] 174, and St. Paxil' the Traveller and the Roman Citizen, London, 1895, p. 280 f.
A. SOUTER.
ASP {aa-TrU). — The Greek word occurs in the classical writings of Herodotus (iv. 191) and Aristotle {de Anim. Hist. iv. 7. 14), and generally represents the Heb. ]r\z [pf.then) in the LXX (pethen is translated ' asp ' in Dt '62^^, Job 2.0^*- ^^ and Is IP, but ' adder' in Ps 58^ 91'^). In the NT the ' asp' is mentioned only once (Ro 3^^: 'The poison of asps [lbs dcTTrtSwv] is under their lips'). Here it is introduced in a quotation from Ps 140^ (139*), where the Heb. word used is a^ty^t' (a a7ra| \ey. and prob- ably corrupt, perhaps read ir'^rj;, 'spider'), but the LXX word is aairh, as in Romans. The general meaning of the passage is obvious (cf. Ja 3^ : ' The tongue can no man tame — a restless evil — full of deadly poison'), and the position of the poison-bag of the serpent is correctly described.