If this report is historical, then the earliest account of Mesopotamians and people of the Roman Eastern frontier becoming Christians comes about the year 30-35 CE. The same passage also cites people from “ Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphilia…” These people were probably a mixed group of Jews who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the wheat harvest feast of Pentecost; and pagan traders. These neophytes would have brought back their new religion back to their own countries, thus accounting for the spread of Christianity on both sides of the Roman Eastern Frontier. There was probably not a systematic evangelisation as there is no mention of Christian growth in most of these regions in the book of Acts; and there is no extra-biblical evidence of how successful these neophytes had spread their religion among their family members. What is interesting in this passage however, is that a mixed group of Jews and Gentiles had come to the Christian belief at the same time, and not as many would believe, the Jews first followed later

The fourth stage of Christian movement to the East was marked by deportations of prisoners of war. Shapur I’s success in raiding Syria and Cappadocia resulted in the capture of Christian communities that were deported to Persia. The Christian hierachy in Antioch was thus brought to the land beyond the Eastern Frontier; and Christianity crossed the Roman Eastern Frontier into Persia on a large scale as a price of war. Indeed the Christian prisoners were so numerous they were able to flourish and establish a hierarchy in Persia. These Christians would eventually be persecuted by Persian Magi priests and Kings, but their presence was there to stay. Both sides of the Roman Eastern Frontier now had populations of Christians. It should be noted though that these captured Christians were mostly of gentile origin, perhaps Roman soldiers. But there would also be a smattering of Judeo-Christians too. The fact that the liturgy was celebrated in both greek and syriac attest to the mixed character of this community.

Hence one of the causes for the spread of Christianity is the movement of traders. The role of traders as early spreaders of religion appears to be a common denominator in Christian proselytising to the east of the Roman Frontier. W.C. McCullough supports this view and posits some of his theories, drawing from examples from the Jews. The Acts of the Holy Apostle Thomas also attribute the saint’s mission to India with the help of a merchant.

This network of new roads were maintained and protected; even expanded because they formed the lifeline of the empire in the east. The Roman improvements provided easier access for the movement of troops as well as commerce. In various periods of the empire, this system of communication was expanded, and fortified. The fortifications not only served as a line of defense against the Persians in the East, it also afforded protection from thieves and highway brigands. The Strata Diocletiana in Syria and the Via Nova Traiana in southern Mesopotamia led travelers and soldiers to practically the entire length of the Eastern Frontier.

Some topics in this essay:
Eastern Frontier, Asian European, Asia Minor, Christians Palestine, Roman Mesopotamia, Roman Jewish, Jews Christians, Jews Jewish, Acts Apostles, Shemoneh Esre, eastern frontier, spread christianity, roman eastern frontier, roman empire, network roads, roman eastern, ancient trade routes, acts apostles, via maris, ancient trade, roman mesopotamia, christianity roman, spread christianity roman, beyond eastern frontier, birkat ha minim,