One of the many ways the Romans exercised authority over people in Asia Minor was through their military. Proconsuls, who were sent from Rome to govern these provinces, relied on the army to enforce rules as well as suppress internal threats, but this rarely required a large and visible policing body. However, certain situations did call for stronger measures and, as texts reveal, the initial rise of Christianity in the Empire was one of these. Therefore, in this section we will examine three aspects of the Roman military presence and function in Asia Minor in the 2nd century.

Military rule in the provinces

Military perception of the provinces

Christian perception of Roman military