In Roman time, also, the natural advantages of Ephesus had full play. Ephesus was brought into trading

relations with many cities; many strangers experienced the protection and prayed for the favour of the

Ephesian goddess. Thus, for example, she is recognised alongside of the native god Zeus and the

Pergamenian Asklepios in the last will and testament of a citizen of Akmonia, dated AD 94. Many cities of

Asia made agreements with each other for mutual recognition of their cults and festivals and common rights

of all citizens of both cities at the festivals ; and such agreements were usually commemorated by striking

what are called "alliance-coins," on which the patron deities of the two cities are represented side by side.

The custom shows a certain tendency in Asia towards an amalgamation and fusing of local religions; and

Ephesus concluded more "alliances" of this kind than any other city of Asia. Hence in AD 56 the

uneducated devotees of Artemis of Ephesus spoke of their goddess, "whom all Asia and the civilised world

The machinery of Roman government in the Province--the Proconsul (who resided mostly in the official

capital, though he landed and embarked at Ephesus and often made a progress through the important cities

of the Province) and other officers --does not directly affect the Seven Letters, and need not detain us.

More important is the Provincial religious organisation, directed by the Commune. The one original temple

of the Asian cultus at Pergamum was soon found insufficient to satisfy the demonstrative loyalty of the

Asians. Moreover, the jealous rivalry of other great cities made them seek for similar distinctions. Asian

temples were built in Smyrna (Tiberius), Ephesus, Sardis, etc. Each temple was a meeting-place of the

Commune; and where the Commune met, games "common to Asia" were celebrated (such as those at which

Polycarp suffered in Smyrna). The Commune was essentially a body charged with religious duties, but

religion was closely interwoven with civil affairs, and the Commune had other work: it had control of certain

revenues, and must therefore have had an annual budget, it struck coins, etc.

The most interesting side of Imperial history is the growth of ideas, which have been more fully developed

later. Universal citizenship, universal religion, a universal Church, were ideas which the Empire was slowly,

sometimes quite unconsciously, working out or preparing for. The Commune contained the germ on one

side of a Parliament of representatives, on another side of a religious hierarchy.