Diffusion of Christianity and Buddhism during the Classical Period
The spread of religion during the Classical Period for both Christianity and Buddhism was directly influenced by economic and social exchange, between various societies, through prosperous trade routes and political connections spawned from within individual civilizations. Over time, these persistent religions will develop into the basis of Western and Eastern culture that would eventually influence the emergence of new societies ruled with renewed political and religious structures even rivaling those of the prominent Classical Period.
Although Christianity and Buddhism both flourished through social interaction over the silk roads, which lead to immense cultural exchange, there were various reasons linked to religious diffusion which were greatly taken advantage of with respect to regional and religious distinctions. Starting in 200 BCE and developing well into 700 CE, the silk roads and sea routes spanned across most of Asia, linking the Roman Empire with China and other prominent civilizations of Egypt, Persia, Iran, Anatolia, India and the Steppe lands into a booming, deviating tree of cultural exchange. While Christian missionaries traverse along the silk roads to the west and sea routes in the Mediterranean basin, Buddhist merchants utilized the monsoon system of the Indian Ocean and also the eastern branches of the Silk Road to spread their faith. With that said, beginning at about the middle of the 1st century CE, Christianity primarily spread through trade routes from influential missionaries, such as Paul of Tarsus, who sought converts from non-Jewish communities in the Hellenistic world and within the Roman Empire. Paul traveled widely in order to attract converts, making numerous journeys through Greece, Syria, Anatolia, and Palestine to offer guidance for Christian communities before being swiftly executed in Rome due to social tensions regarding his attempts to spread Christianity among roman settlements. Likewise, other Christian missionaries like
Although Christianity and Buddhism both flourished through social interaction over the silk roads, which lead to immense cultural exchange, there were various reasons linked to religious diffusion which were greatly taken advantage of with respect to regional and religious distinctions. Starting in 200 BCE and developing well into 700 CE, the silk roads and sea routes spanned across most of Asia, linking the Roman Empire with China and other prominent civilizations of Egypt, Persia, Iran, Anatolia, India and the Steppe lands into a booming, deviating tree of cultural exchange. While Christian missionaries traverse along the silk roads to the west and sea routes in the Mediterranean basin, Buddhist merchants utilized the monsoon system of the Indian Ocean and also the eastern branches of the Silk Road to spread their faith. With that said, beginning at about the middle of the 1st century CE, Christianity primarily spread through trade routes from influential missionaries, such as Paul of Tarsus, who sought converts from non-Jewish communities in the Hellenistic world and within the Roman Empire. Paul traveled widely in order to attract converts, making numerous journeys through Greece, Syria, Anatolia, and Palestine to offer guidance for Christian communities before being swiftly executed in Rome due to social tensions regarding his attempts to spread Christianity among roman settlements. Likewise, other Christian missionaries like