The first book of Maccabees gives a detailed account of the Hasmonean rise to power within the administrative structures of the declining Seleucid Empire. While this picture is altogether plausible as far as the Hasmoneans are concerned, there are obvious holes in the narrative when it comes to rival claims. All opponents are characterized as “lawless” and “impious men.” There are nevertheless some indications that other parties had similar access to Seleucid pretenders, and that the Hasmoneans constantly had to face opposition from groups quite similar to themselves. The article tries to identify some of these groups. It also considers the repercussions this rivalry had in the post-Seleucid Hasmonean state.

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Romanization in the province of Asia did not manifest itself in linguistic or cultural changes, but is very visible in a trend towards corporate organization. In the cities of western and southern Phrygia, professional associations developed that were able to gain a prominent position alongside the civic institutions. It is possible to relate this process to incentives provided by Roman law. In the villages surrounding these cities, and especially in the rural areas of northern and eastern Phrygia, the conditions were different, but there are several indications that a new preference for formal organization and its epigraphic representation developed here as well.

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