Asiatic Vespers

English

Alternative forms

• Asian Vespers
• Ephesian Vespers
• Vespers of 88 BC

Etymology

Alternative version of a calque of French Vèpres éphésiennes (“Ephesian Vespers”), coined 1890 by historian Théodore Reinach by analogy with Sicilian Vespers. Ephesus was one of the towns where the massacre occurred.

Proper noun

Asiatic Vespers

1. (historical) An incident in 88 BCE, in which a coordinated massacre of Roman citizens in various towns in Anatolia was undertaken at the behest of King Mithridates VI of Pontus, which served as casus belli for Rome to instigate the First Mithridatic War.
   • 1995, Historia, Franz Steiner Verlag, page 34:

     Long before that year the Romans had had dealings with Mithridates²⁷ but they firmly held to the view that the first of their wars with the king was actually that inaugurated with the Asiatic Vespers and it was to that that they gave the title of First Mithridatic War.

Translations

massacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE

• German: Vesper von Ephesos f, asiatische Vesper f, Blutbefehl von Ephesos m
• Italian: Vespri asiatici m
• Portuguese: Vésperas asiáticas f, Vésperas efésias f, Vésperas de 88 a.C f

Further reading

• First Mithridatic War on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Mithridatic Wars on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Mithridates VI of Pontus on Wikipedia.Wikipedia