The Era of the Province of Asia

Abstract

IN 1851 THE NUMISMATIST M. PINDER deduced from certain coins the existence of an era of the province of Asia, beginning in the year 134/3 B.C.1 His characterization of the era has since found almost universal acceptance, although this has at times been expressed with caution.2 Despite such a consensus, two objections must be urged against a provincial era of Asia starting in 134/3. First, amid the unusual wealth of evidence from Republican Asia, only the coins of Ephesus attest the existence of this era; its use is therefore strangely restricted for a provincial era.3 But what is more disturbing about the era is that in 134/3 the province of Asia did not exist. It is a technical carelessness common in modern writings to date the beginning of the province from the moment when Attalus III of Pergamum died early in 133 and bequeathed his kingdom to the Roman people. In fact the war against Aristonicus inter-