Meanings
alternative Asian Vespers · alternative Ephesian Vespers · alternative Vespers of 88 BC
- historicalAn 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.
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.
1995, Historia, Franz Steiner Verlag, page 34
Origin
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.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
German Vesper von Ephesos, asiatische Vesper
- Vesper von Ephesosmassacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE
- asiatische Vespermassacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE
- Blutbefehl von Ephesosmassacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE
Italian Vespri asiatici
- Vespri asiaticimassacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE
Polish nieszpory efeskie
- nieszpory efeskiemassacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE
Portuguese Vésperas asiáticas, Vésperas efésias
- Vésperas asiáticasmassacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE
- Vésperas efésiasmassacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE
- Vésperas de 88 a.Cmassacre of Roman citizens in Anatolia in 88 BCE
Cite this entry
Asiatic Vespers. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Asiatic%20Vespers
“Asiatic Vespers.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Asiatic%20Vespers. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Asiatic Vespers,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Asiatic%20Vespers.
Source: Asiatic Vespers on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.