Quantifying the spread of Roman citizenship in the province of Asia in the second century CE

Abstract

This paper investigates the rate of growth in the representation of Roman citizens in the province of Asia using the Κούρητες lists from Ephesos, the prytany lists from Kyzikos and the lists of delegations to Klaros. While the proportion of Roman citizens may have increased in Ephesos, it appears to have stagnated in some cities (Chios, Herakleia Salbake and Phokaia) and may even have contracted in others (Kyzikos and Laodikeia-on-the-Lykos). The paper discusses the underlying social processes that explain why the prevalence of Roman citizenship might have plateaued and even declined in many cities: a slow-down in imperial grants of Roman citizenship, continuous social renewal within the upper strata and the pejorative treatment of mixed unions between Roman citizens and peregrines in Roman law.