Where had Judaism spread by 600 AD?

Answer 1

Judaism - and Jews - had spread throughout the known world by 600AD with substantial populations in many nations and in all three of the continents that were known at the time.

In Europe, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, France (which was an important centre of Jewish learning during the Middle Ages), Georgia, Malta and Turkey have had Jewish populations since prior to 2000 years ago.

Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia (where the Jewish population pre-dates the Slavic population which gives the country its name) have been home to Jews since Roman times. Spain has had a Jewish population since at least then, but some scholars - who believe the biblical Tarshish was located in Spain - claim that Jews have been in Spain since the days of King Solomon. Portugal may also have had Jewish residents during Roman times.

By 600CE (AD), they had spread even further. Jews had made it into Germany by the 4th Century CE and possibly into Switzerland - an archaeological investigation at the Roman Augusta Raurica revealed what may be a representation of a menorah (Jewish candlestick) dated 300CE. Jews could also be found in Russia and Croatia at this time and documents have proved they were definitely in Portugal. There is also a 7th C CE Jewish settlement at Baku, in Azerbaijan.

In Africa, it is believed that some Jews may have remained in Egypt following the Hebrews' flight from slavery as found in the Torah and Old Testament. They were certainly present during the Ptolemaic period, circa 400BCE (BC). Other African nations with Jews at the time would have included Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, which have all had a Jewish population since Roman times and Libya which has been home to Jews since the 3rd C CE - these are the Mizrahi Jews, most of whom have since emigrated to Israel. Ethiopian Jews are known to have existed since the 7th C BCE.

A discussion of African Jews could not be complete without mention of two very interesting Judaic groups - the Lemba of South Africa and the Igbo people of Nigeria. The former are ethnically Jewish but followers of Protestant Christianity; however, during religious ceremonies they display disticntly Judaic customs. Though not considered Jewish by the majority of Jews, they have been living in the area since at least 500BCE. The Igbo (who are also known as the Heebo and whom are said to have their origins in slavery) people include a small number of Igbo Jews who claim to be descended from the Israelite tribes of Gad, Zebulun and Manessah. Igbo legend suggests that the Igbo Jews reached Nigeria around 500CE, but some sources suggest there have been Jews in the country since as long ago as 638BCE.

The majority of European nations were home to Jews within a few centuries of 600CE, including Britain where Jews are first documented during the Norman Conquest, though it is believed that Jews may have entered the country with the Romans and that small numbers remained in the centuries in between.