The Roman Province of Asia Minor

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how since the Classical period Greek cities had spread unevenly along the coast of Asia Minor, drawn by opportunities for trade, excellent harbors and the region's natural wealth. It looks at how the cities provided the administrative framework for Roman rule and how Roman technology and culture, itself influenced by Greek thought, influenced the Hellenistic culture which responded by adapting the new influences to traditional patterns. It explores how the cities adapted their competitive strategies to include the imperial presence and how the imperial authorities responded by attempting to control competition.

From the Paper:

"The widespread growth of the Corinthian order seen in imperial architecture and the rapid replacement of Doric stoas by Ionic or Corinthian colonnades may also be due to regional developments, rather than direct Roman influence. It was already established in several Anatolian cities and it seems to have been favored by Hellenistic kings (Waelkens 1989, 79-80). Its success may be due to several factors. There was a local general taste for richer architecture, itself a reflection of the provinces' increasing wealth (Waelkens 1989, 80). The architectural embellishment and increasing formalisation of public spaces suggests that they were a showcase of civic pride and a reflection of the competitive environment of Asia Minor (Waelkens 1989, 81)."

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