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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 present-day Syria. The Romans, led by Lucius Verus, seized control of the city from the Parthians in AD 164, and it remained under Roman control until it was captured by the Sasanians, led by Shapur I, who deported the population around AD 256-257. Archaeological evidence indicates that this border town was a site of religious tolerance, where various faiths were practiced. This included the Christian faith, which was still facing persecution at the time. Notably, it may have housed one of the world's oldest churches. 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: