"It
has long been recognized that the worship of the emperors in some way constituted
an an important aspect of the relationships between the emperor and the cities
of the Roman province of Asia. The importance of imperial cults in Asia is reflected
in the city titles that permeate the epigraphic record. These titles tend to
focus on the word 'neokoros,' which is often translated into English as 'temple
warden,' because the term began as the title for an official who had special
responsibilities related to the precincts of a deity. During the Roman imperial
period, however, 'neokoros' took on a specialized meaning. It became the technical
term for a city where a provincial temple of the emperors was located. Thus,
in the secondary literature the words 'neokoros and 'neokorate' have become
synonymous with provincial imperial cults"
Taken from Steven Friesen, "The Cult of the Roman
Emperors in Ephesos," p. 229
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