As a center of commerce, it did business with the whole empire and saw the comings and goings of all sorts of people, who brought news of religious movements everywhere in the Roman world.
( अ हिस्टरी ऑफ अॅन्टियोक सिरीया) अनेकांना यहुदी धर्मातील एकेश्‍वरवादाची शिकवण, विधी आणि नीतिमूल्ये आवडली होती.