The Roman Province of Asia

New Testament Roman Provinces

The province of Asia, created around 133 B.C., is mentioned directly in the King James Bible twenty-one times (Acts 2:9, 6:9, 16:6, 19:10, Acts 20:14 - 15, etc.). It contains the Roman regions of Caria (not mentioned in Scripture), Mysia (Acts 16:7 - 8), Phrygia (a region shared with Galatia - Acts 2:10, 16:6, 18:23, 1Timothy 6:21) and Lydia (not mentioned in Scripture).

New Testament cities within this western Asia Minor provincial area include Cnidus (Acts 27:7), Miletus (Acts 20:15 - 20), Trogyllium (Acts 20:15), Assos (Acts 20:14), Troas (Acts 16:8, 11, 20:5 - 6, 2Corinthians 2:12, 2Timothy 4:13), Colosse (Colossians 1:2), Adramyttium (Acts 27:2) and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13).

The Asia province also contained the city of Mitylene (on the island of Lesbos - Acts 20:14), plus the islands of Chios (Acts 20:15), Samos (Acts 20:15), Cos (Acts 21:1), Rhodes (Acts 21:1) and Patmos (Revelation 1:9).

The seven churches of Revelation (Ephesus - capital of the province, Smyrna, Pergamos (Pergamon), Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea - see Revelation 2 and 3) are also in this area.

Map of New Testament Roman Provinces in Asia Minor

Origin of Names

When Mysia was incorporated into provincial Asia its name fell into general misuse. It was many times referred to as the Hellespontus. The name of Phrygia is derived from the tribe of Phryges that invaded the country and drove out many others including the Hittites.

The Greeks, before Lydia's Roman provincial history, are said to have derived from the Lydians improvements and inventions for creating fine fabrics, working with various metals, and the use of silver and gold as a form of currency.