The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism [1911] - Get a Free Blog

SYRIA. 109
in 585, was received by a crowd praising
him "in the
language of the Latins, the Jews and the 1 *
Syrians."
The merchant colonies existed until the Saracen cor
sairs destroyed the commerce of the Mediterranean.
Those establishments exercised a strong influence
upon the economic and material life of the Latin prov
inces, especially in Gaul. As bankers the Syrians
concentrated a large share of the money business in
their hands and monopolized the importing of the val
uable Levantine commodities as well as of the articles
of luxury ; they sold wines, spices, glassware, silks
and purple fabrics, also objects wrought by goldsmiths,
to be used as patterns by the native artisans. Their
moral and religious influence was not less considerable :
for instance, it has been shown that they furthered
the development of monastic life during the Christian
period, and that the devotion to the crucifix 1 s that
grew up in opposition to the monophysites, was intro
duced into the Occident by them. During the first
five centuries Christians felt an unconquerable repug
nance to the representation of the Saviour of the
world nailed to an instrument of punishment more
infamous than the guillotine of to-day. The Syrians
were the first to substitute reality in all its pathetic
horror for a vague symbolism.
In pagan times the religious ascendency of that
immigrant population was no less remarkable. The
merchants always took an interest in the affairs of
heaven as well as in those of earth. At all times Syria
was a land of ardent devotion, and in the first century
its children were as fervid in propagating their bar
barian gods in the Occident as after their conversion
they were enthusiastic in spreading Christianity as far