What realities affected travel and movement in the first century during Jesus lifetime?
II. How did Jesus travel during his life? III. Why might Jesus have chosen to travel in this way? IV. What does this mean for followers of Jesus today and the Christian movement worldwide? I. What realities affected travel and movement in the first century during Jesus lifetime? Jesus was born around the time that the Roman Empire had expanded throughout the Mediterranean region, creating a network of land and sea routes used for transportation and communication. The Roman Road system was comprised of a network of over 63,000 miles of paved roads, connecting centers of government, culture and power stretching from present day Spain to Iran. Roman roads were used by traders, builders, soldiers and government officials and greatly contributed to the efficiency of the empire’s expansion. A passport system was used for identification of prestigious officials who had privileges of staying overnight in mansions. A horse-based relay postal system could transport a letter over 500 miles in 24
