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Showing results for tags 'worlds oldest christian church'.
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A wall painting of a woman at the well, perhaps the earliest known representation of the Virgin Mary, is from the baptistery of the Christian building. It is painted on plaster, 3rd century AD. Dura-Europos was the easternmost Roman stronghold in Mesopotamia, located in modern-day Syria. The Romans, led by Lucius Verus, took control of the city from Parthia in AD 164, and it remained under Roman control until the Sasanians, led by Shapur I, captured the city and deported the population in AD 256-257. Archaeological evidence reveals that this border town was a site of religious tolerance, with a variety of faiths being practiced. This included the Christian faith, which was still persecuted, and possibly the world's oldest church. Women at the empty tomb of Christ. Here is a good article on the religious diversity of Dura-Europos: Much of this religious imagery was destroyed by ISIS during the Syrian war in 2015. https://the-past.com/feature/the-gods-of-dura-europos/ The synagogue of Dura-Europos dated to AD 244: Mithraeum of Dura-Europos Here’s a previous thread on evidence of chemical warfare found at Dura-Europos: