ΤΟ

THE READER.

FINDING much perplexity in the several acceptions of the name of Asia, even taken in the stricter sense, for that which was but a member of Asia the less: for mine own better satisfaction, in reading as well of the New Testament as of other ecclesiastical and civil histories, I endeavoured to try whether, by a fit distinction of places and times, some help might be found for the resolving of those difficulties. Where I learned withal, both how wide he should err in matters of this kind, that would trust only to Ptolemy's tables, without further consulting with the ancienter historians and geographers; and what use might be made of the imperial laws, not only for the furtherance of civil prudence, but also for the bettering of our knowledge in other parts of good learning. Which brief observations of mine, now the second time revised, enlarged, and much amended (the former edition being but suddenly thought upon) I here again present to the favourable view, and submit to the riper judgment of the more intelligent reader.

Et veniam pro laude peto: laudatus abunde,

Non fastiditus si tibi, Lector, ero.

a Ovid. Trist. lib. 1. eleg. 6.

A DISQUISITION,

&c. &c.

CHAP. I.

Of the Asia which by the Romans was first properly so called; and the several members thereof.

As the lesser Asia (now called Natolia or Anatolia) was a part of the great, and Asia properly so called a part of that lesser; so the Lydian Asia was a parcel of that Asia which was properly so called. For the fuller understanding whereof, we are to call to mind, that the Romans having possessed themselves of the countries which had formerly belonged unto the Pergamen kings, reduced them into the form of a province, which they called, by the name of the great Continent, Asia.

This is by Cicero distinguished into four members: Phrygia, Mysia, Caria, and Lydia. The first whereof is by Dionysius Afer, Strabo, Ptolemy", and others, divided

· 'Ρωμαίοι ἐπαρχίαν ἀπέδειξαν τὴν χώραν, ̓Ασίαν προσαγορεύσαντες óμúvvμov rý ýπεiρw. Strabo, Geograph. lib. 13. pag. 926,

b Namque, ut opinor, Asia vestra constat ex Phrygia, Mysia, Caria, Lydia. Cicero, in orat. pro Flacco: ad ipsos Asianos verba faciens.

c Strabo, lib. 12. pag. 856.

d Ptolem. Geograph. lib. 5. cap. 2.

into the greater and the lesser Phrygia. Within the greater those two Phrygias were comprehended, which in after ages, were known by the names of Pacatiana and Salutaris: the former of which (mentioned in the subscription, added by the Greek church unto the former epistle of St. Paul unto Timothy) being the more southern part of the greater Phrygia, is thought to have received that appellation from Pacatianus: who in the days of Constantine the Great, bore the office of the Prefecte of the Prætorium of the east, having not long before been at the same time both consul and prefect of the city of Constantinople; and (as it may seem) divers years before that, began his preferments here in the west, with the lieutenantships of our Britain.

Of the latter, there is mention made in a certain" constitution of Constantius the son of Constantine, and in the subscriptions both of the fourth general council held at Chalcedon, and of the fifth held at Constantinople; in which last Severusi subscribeth as bishop of Synnada, the metropolis of Phrygia Salutaris, (however Socratesk, by some lapse of memory, and Nicephorus' blindly following him, have made this to be a city of Phrygia Pacatiana :) as in that of Chalcedon, Abercius", as bishop of Hierapolis, a city of the same Phrygia Salutaris. Where it may be noted: first, that besides that more known Hierapolis in Phrygia Pacatiana (of which we shall have occasion to speak hereafter) there was another of less note

e Cod. Theod. lib. 10. tit. 15. de advocato fisci, lib.

f Ibid. lib. 3. tit. 5. de sponsal. lib. 4.

g Vid. Cod. Theod. lib. 11. tit. 7. de exact. leg. 2. ad Pacatianum vicarium Britanniarum.

h L. Cum appellatio. C. de appellationib.

i Severus episcopus Synnadensium, metropoleós Phrygiæ Salutaris. concil. 5.

collat. 8.

k Socrat. histor. ecclesiastic. lib. 7. cap. 3.

1 Nicephor. Callist. histor. lib. 14. cap. 11.

m

Αβέρκιος ὁ ἐλάχιστος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς Ιεραπολιτῶν πόλεως. Φρυγίας Σαλουταρίας, ορίσας ὑπέγραψα. Concil. Chalcedon. Act. cap. 16.