On a single trip one often learns more than reading many books. This wisdom came to my mind when travelling from Bodrum to Istanbul a few weeks ago. Was on the road to prepare Plan B for next year’s sailing in case the Turkish – Greek border closes. Driving the 700 km does not take long. New highways now link all major Turkish cities. The trip by car takes less than 8 hours - if you are in a hurry.
Apostle Paul, Ravenna, Firth Century AD
But I was not – of course. Instead, I followed the coast line, travelling leisurely on the old roads to find places which could be worth visiting next summer. On my list were the Ionian towns of Miletus, Priene, Ephesus, Smyrna (Izmir), Assos, plus Troy and the ANZAC beaches. There was little traffic, the streets mostly empty. Occasionally I passed a small stall offering local food or a fruit vendor selling sweet figs, deep yellow grapes and pots of delicious honey for USD 8.- Life was running at a slower pace here.
Ancient Ionian Towns on the Anatolian coast
To my astonishment, I found remains and references to early Christian communities everywhere I went, be it on panels explaining the ancient towns I visited or in the little brochures that came with the site tickets. Of course I had heard of the “Seven Churches of Asia” in the Book of Revelations (part of the New Testament) but never assumed that they were actually here. In the first century AD, Asia was the name of the Roman province on the Ionian coast of Anatolia – not the name of a continent. I also remember from Sunday school the missionary trips of Paul the Apostle to Anatolia and Greece.
The ancient Church of Mary in Ephesus built in the 5th century AD served as Cathedral
But it never occurred to me that the Ionian coast actually could be the cradle of Christianity. The group around Apostle Peter in Jerusalem was small and found it difficult to survive in the hostile environment where Jewish nationalists and Roman occupiers were on each other’s throats. A terrible famine in Palestine in 46 – 47 AD made matters worse and in 66 AD the Great Jewish Revolt broke out which ended with the sacking of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the fall of the fortress Masada in 74 AD and the enslaving and crucifixion of ten thousand of rebels and innocents . Most of the small Christian circle had moved to Antioch, a safer place.
The old main street of Ephesus, the wealthy trade hub
The situation in Greece and on the Ionian coast was different. It was at peace and stable. The Roman Lords were accepted as new rulers. They let the locals keep their religion and cults. There was a sizeable Jewish expat community in cities like Miletus, Ephesus or Corinth. Less hostile to the new Jewish sect, as early Christians were called, they invited them to their synagogues. Saint Paul, a Roman Jew of Greek origin, first preached the new gospel there. But soon he realized that he could reach a far larger audience outside the temple: the Gentiles, the non-Jewish population. He started to teach in public places.
Model of Augustus' Mausoleum which was linked by a road to the Pantheon
At the time of Paul’s missionary travels, Roman Emperors were already deified. Temples in their honor were erected everywhere. That’s the reason so many busts of Roman Emperors survived. Caesar had probably picked up a liking for the cult in Egypt where the Pharaoh was a God King. The Emperor cult started in earnest with the building of Augustus' Mausoleum in Rome which is now open to the public again. 800 m south to it, in a straight line, the Pantheon was built – the Temple to all Gods which prominently housed a statue of Caesar and Augustus.
In Ephesus, the large Temple built for Emperor Domitian is another good illustration, albeit built 25 years after Apostle Paul’s death in Rome (64 AD). Erected on a terrace 100 meters long and 50 meters wide, on the southern perimeter of Ephesus, the temple was supported by columns in the shape of the many Gods of the Roman Empire. On top sat the statue of Domitian – the God of all Gods. Trouble was that most people did not see him as the benefactor and saviour he portrayed to be but as a tyrant with little compassion. No wonder he was murdered by a court official in 96 AD. Even the building of an athletic stadium in Rome did not win him the hearts of his citizens – albeit Piazza Navona which stands on its site wins the admiration of thousands of visitors today!
Reconstruction of Domitian's Temple in Ephesus - ancient Gods carry the statue of Domitian
Participation in the Roman Emperor cult was mandatory. Everybody had to participate in related festivities celebrating the God Emperor. In daily life, respect had to be paid with small gestures like burning incense in his name before entering a public place . Despite being cloaked as Gods, Roman Emperors were well known for their brutality, arbitrary decisions, corruption, nepotism, lack of compassion, war mongering and contempt for anything limiting their power. They may have been treated as God like creatures on earth but most people kept a safe distance – to put it politely. Not surprisingly, most of them died a violent death.
Apostle Paul's Third Missionary Trip which brought him to Ephesus, Corinth and Miletus
But in a way their cult paved the way for a monotheistic religion. If the Emperor could be the God of all Gods, why could a single God not replace all the Gods? In his sermons, Apostle Paul described the Christian God as merciful, compassionate, who looked after the weak and allowed to you repent and improve, a God who gave access to eternal life – the pure opposite to a Roman Emperor. All Roman Imperial Palaces had big paradise like gardens. But an ordinary person never got a chance to see them or visit. Being a good Christian though gave you access to eternal paradise. A powerful message in a world of slavery and poverty where life was short. This message had mass appeal. Paul crafted it carefully to avoid open conflict with the Roman authorities. Christianity was a solution for life after death. It did not promise paradise on earth.
Model of Emperor Hadrian's (76 - 138 AD) Palace in Tivoli near Rome with its large Gardens
We do not know much about the size and composition of the early Christian communities. Women played an important role. Slaves were accepted. Many sources mention prominent merchants. Since Christians did not recognize the divine nature of Emperors, they were a structural threat to the Empire, despite Paul’s carefully crafted message. At best Roman Emperors treated them as nuisance who had to pay additional tax, at worst they were prosecuted and literally fed to the lions. These communities were small but had critical mass to attract followers of Jesus such as disciple John and Paul the Apostle. Saint Paul lived and preached for two years in Ephesus. It is also said that Mother Mary lived her last few years in the middle of the Christian community in Ephesus – a safer place than Jerusalem. Last but not least, the New Testament was written in Greek no in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke,
Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper portraits the frugality of the Holy Communion, Milan 1498
That Christianity first gained mass appeal in Ionian and Greek cities does not surprise. The Roman culture does not easily blend with a philosophy that gave us democracy, liberty of man and critical thinking. It was first and foremost a culture of war and oppression even though it later heavily borrowed from Greek culture. In the end this Greek veneer was more symbolic. People felt that the Roman Emperors only paid lip service to their culture. Maybe Christianity got launched as silent opposition against the debauchery and brutality of Roman life. The Holy Communion was the most important event in a Christian’s week, a supper in the house of a fellow Christian where wine and bread was shared. No gold, no jewels. Just modesty.