In ancient times people believed that the Mediterranean Sea was located in the center of the world. In fact, the name Mediterranean means "middle of the earth." The sea is about 2,200 miles long and is almost entirely surrounded by land: the European continent lies to its north, Africa is to the south, and the Middle East forms its eastern shores.
The Israelites called the Mediterranean the Great Sea. Unlike other seafaring people, the Israelites didn't send ships to trade or explore the Mediterranean in Old Testament times. They feared this enormous expanse of water, which was where the Prophet Jonah was swallowed up by a great fish. Without seaworthy ships, the Mediterranean could be a dangerous place. Shipwrecks were common, especially during the stormy winter months.
By New Testament times the Mediterranean and most of the land around it were almost completely controlled by the Romans. They used fast-moving, well-equipped ships to patrol their territories and to send messages back to the emperor. Mediterranean trade flourished under the Romans, bringing wealth to many merchants.
Paul and the other first missionaries sailed on the Roman ships around the Mediterranean Sea to spread the word of God. Although sea travel was safer than it had once been, it could still be dangerous. Once, Paul was shipwrecked off the island of Malta, but miraculously, he survived. Nonetheless, other dedicated Christians braved the long voyage to start churches in such faraway seaports as Antioch, Ephesus, Thessalonica, and Corinth.
Did you Know?
In Jesus' time the Romans controlled the Mediterranean and even called it "Our Sea."
