Asia
A'sia. (orient). The passages in the New Testament where this word
occurs are the following; Act_2:9; Act_6:9; Act_16:6;
Act_19:10; Act_19:22;
Act_19:26-27; Act_20:4; Act_20:16;
Act_20:18; Act_21:27;
Act_27:2; Rom_16:5;
1Co_16:19; 2Co_1:8;
2Ti_1:15; 1Pe_1:1;
Rev_1:4; Rev_1:11.
In all these, it may be confidently stated that the word is used for a
Roman province which embraced the western part of the peninsula of Asia Minor
and of which Ephesus was the capital.
Source:
Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Asia
ā´shi-a (Ἀσία,
Asía): A Roman province embracing the greater part of western Asia
Minor, including the older countries of Mysia, Lydia, Caria, and a part of
Phrygia, also several of the independent coast cities, the Troad, and
apparently the islands of Lesbos, Samos, Patmos, Cos and others near the Asia
Minor coast (Act_16:6; Act_19:10, Act_19:27).
It is exceedingly difficult to determine the exact boundaries of the several
countries which later constituted the Roman province, for they seem to have
been somewhat vague to the ancients themselves, and were constantly shifting;
it is therefore impossible to trace the exact borders of the province of Asia.
Its history previous to 133 bc coincides with that of Asia Minor of which it
was a part. However, in that year, Attalus III (Philometer), king of Pergamos,
bequeathed his kingdom to the Roman Empire. It was not until 129 bc that the
province of Asia was really formed by Rome. Its first capital was Pergamos, the
old capital of Mysia, but in the time of Augustus, when Asia had become the
most wealthy province of the Empire, the seat of the government was transferred
to Ephesus. Smyrna was also an important rival of Ephesus. The governor of Asia
was a pro-consul, chosen by lot by the Roman senate from among the former
consuls who had been out of office for at least five years, and he seldom
continued in office for more than a single year. The diet of the province,
composed of representatives from its various districts, met each year in the
different cities. Over it presided the asiarch, whose duty it was, among other
things, to offer sacrifices for the welfare of the emperor and his family.
In 285 ad the province was reduced in size, as Caria, Lydia, Mysia and
Phrygia were separated from it, and apart from the cities of the coast little
remained. The history of Asia consists almost entirely of the history of its
important cities, which were Adramyttium, Assos, Cnidus, Ephesus, Laodicea,
Miletus, Pergamos, Philadelphia, Sardis, Smyrna, Thyatira, Troas, etc.
Source:
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Asia
Is used to denote Proconsular Asia, a Roman province which embraced the
western parts of Asia Minor, and of which Ephesus was the capital, in Act_2:9; Act_6:9;
Act_16:6; Act_19:10,
Act_19:22; Act_20:4,
Act_20:16, Act_20:18,
etc., and probably Asia Minor in Act_19:26,
Act_19:27; Act_21:27;
Act_24:18; Act_27:2.
See map, Proconsular Asia
and the Seven Churches
Proconsular Asia contained the seven churches of the Apocalypse (Rev_1:11). The “chiefs of Asia” (Act_19:31) were certain wealthy citizens who
were annually elected to preside over the games and religious festivals of the
several cities to which they belonged. Some of these “Asiarchs” were Paul's
friends.
Source:
Easton’s Bible Dictionary