“Meɖo Ŋɔdzi Me le Atsiaƒu Dzi”

LE ZÃ doblukɔ aɖe me la, tɔdziʋu aɖe si me ame 276 nɔ la nɔ tetem ɖe ƒukpo aɖe ŋu le Mediterranea-ƒua dzi. Nu ti kɔ na ʋukulawo kple ʋuɖolawo le esi ƒutsotsoeawo nɔ wonyamam hena ŋkeke 14 sɔŋ ta. Ke esi ŋu ke eye wokpɔ adɔ̃ aɖe la, wodze agbagba be yewoatrɔ ʋua ayi ƒutae. Gake ʋua te si ke ale gbegbe be etsi maʋãmaʋã, eye ƒutsotsoewo gbã ʋua gɔme. Amesiwo katã nɔ ʋua me gblẽ ʋua ɖi heƒu tsi alo ku ɖe ʋuƒowo alo nu bubuwo ŋu hewɔ ɖɔɖɔɖɔ ɖo Melite ƒuta dedie. Vuvɔ lé wo eye nu ti kɔ na wo hafi wohe wo ɖokui do goe le ƒutsotsoe sesẽa me. Kristotɔ apostolo Paulo hã nɔ ʋuɖolaawo dome. Wotsɔe yina Roma be woadrɔ̃ ʋɔnui.—Dɔwɔwɔwo 27:27-44.

Le Paulo gome la, menye ʋua ƒe gbagbã le Melite ƒukpo dzi siae nye zi gbãtɔ si eƒe agbe ɖo afɔku me le ƒu dzi o. Ƒe ʋee aɖewo do ŋgɔ la, eŋlɔ be: “Menɔ ʋu me wògba zi etɔ̃, zã kple keli menɔ ƒutsotsoewo nu.” Egblɔ kpee be yeɖo “ŋɔdzi me le atsiaƒu dzi.” (Korintotɔwo II, 11:25-27) Ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ kpe ɖe Paulo ŋu wòwɔ eƒe akpa si Mawu tsɔ nɛ be wòanye “trɔ̃subɔlawo ƒe apostolo” la de goe.—Romatɔwo 11:13.

Aleke gbegbee ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ de dui le ƒe alafa gbãtɔ me? Akpa kae wòwɔ le Kristotɔnyenye kaka me? Ðe wònɔ dediea? Tɔdziʋu ka tɔgbewoe wozãna? Eye aleke wonaa nɔƒe mɔzɔlaawoe?

Roma Hiã Ƒudzisitsatsa

Romatɔwo yɔa Mediterranea ƒua be Mare Nostrum—Míaƒe Atsiaƒu. Ŋusẽkpɔkpɔ ɖe ƒudzimɔwo dzi nɔ vevie na Roma, menye le aʋawɔwɔ ɖeɖe ta ko o. Roma Fiaɖuƒea ƒe du geɖe nye ʋudzeƒewo loo alo wonye esiwo wozãna nenema. Le kpɔɖeŋu me, Roma ƒe ʋudzeƒe nɔ Ostia si te ɖe eŋu, eye Lechaeum kple Kenxrea nye ʋudzeƒewo na Korinto, eye Siriatɔwo ƒe Antioxia zãa Seleukia. Ƒudzimɔ nyui si nɔ ƒutadu siawo dome wɔe be kadodo kple dugã veviwo tsɔna eye wòwɔe be Roma-nutowo dzi kpɔkpɔ tsɔ afɔ.

Roma nɔ te ɖe ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ dzi hena eƒe nuɖuɖu kpɔkpɔ hã. Esi Romatɔwo ƒe agbɔsɔsɔ anɔ miliɔn ɖeka ta la, nuɖuɖu agbɔsɔsɔ gbogbo aɖee hiãa wo—si anye agba tɔn 250,000 va ɖo 400,000 le ƒe ɖeka me. Afikae nuɖuɖu gbogbo mawo katã tso? Flavius Josephus yɔ Herodes Agripa II be egblɔ be Roma kpɔa nuɖuɖu tso Dziehe Afrika hena ɣleti enyi le ƒe me, eye Egipte ɖoa nuɖuɖu gbogbo aɖe ɖa wòdena na dua hena ɣleti ene mamlɛa. Tɔdziʋu akpe geɖe ye tsɔa nuɖuɖuawo vaa dugã sia me.

Le Romatɔwo ƒe agbeɖunuwo gbɔ kpɔkpɔ gome la, ƒudzisitsatsa si nɔ dzidzedze kpɔm hea adzɔnu ƒomevi ɖesiaɖe vɛ. Wotsɔa tomenuwo, kpe xɔasiwo, kple kpe zɔzrɔ̃ewo (marble) ɖe tɔdziʋu me tso Cyprus, Greece, kple Egipte, eye wodea atiwo ʋu tso Libanon vɛ. Wokpɔa wein tso Smirna, newo tso Damasko, ayede tso Palestina. Wotsɔa amisisiwo kple aŋe tso Kilikia, lãfuwo tso Mileto kple Laodikea, avɔwo tso Siria kple Libanon, aɖabɛ tso Tiro kple Zidon. Wotsɔa amadenuwo tso Tiatira kple atukpa tso Aleksandria kple Zidon. Wodɔa seda, ɖeti, nyiɖu, kple nuɖuɖuvivinuwo tso China kple India.

Nuka míate ŋu agblɔ tso tɔdziʋu si gbã le Melite si me Paulo nɔ la ŋu? Nuɖuɖugbae wodo ɖe ʋua me, enye “Aleksandria-ʋu aɖe, si yina ɖe Italia.” (Dɔwɔwɔwo 27:6) Nuɖuɖugbatsɔʋuawo nye Hela, Foenike, kple Siria tɔ ɖekaɖeka aɖewo ko tɔ, eye woawoe kpɔa wo dzi hedia dɔwɔnu na wo. Gake Roma-dziɖuɖua daa ʋu siawo. Ŋutinyaŋlɔla William M. Ramsay, gblɔ be: “Abe alesi wònɔna le adzɔxɔxɔ gome ene la, dziɖuɖua kpɔ be ede ye dzi wu ne yetsɔ dɔwo na dɔwɔha siwo xɔa dɔ wɔna tsɔ wu be ye ŋutɔ yeakpɔ dɔ nyadri siwo me dɔwɔlawo kple dɔwɔnu geɖe hiã le la gbɔ.”

Paulo ɖo tɔdziʋu bubu si ƒe dzesie nye “Venɔviwo” tsɔ wu eƒe mɔzɔzɔ yi Roma nu. Aleksandria-ʋu kee esia hã nye. Eva dze go ɖe Puteoli le Ƒukɔme si le Naples, si nye ʋudzeƒe si nuɖuɖugbatsɔʋuwo va dzea go ɖo zi geɖe. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 28:11-13) Tso Puteoli—si woyɔna egbea be Pozzuoli—la, woɖea agbawo tsɔ toa mɔwo dzi loo alo dea wo tɔdziʋu suewo yia dziehe gome, hezɔa Tiber Tɔsisia ƒe gowo ŋu ɖoa Roma-dua ŋutɔŋutɔ me.

Agbatsɔʋue Mɔzɔlawo Ðoa?

Nukata Paulo kple eŋudzɔsrafowo ɖo agbatsɔʋu? Be míaɖo biabia ma ŋu la, ele be míanya nusi tɔdziʋuɖola ƒe mɔzɔzɔ to ƒu dzi bia le ɣeyiɣi mawo me.

Le ƒe alafa gbãtɔ M.Ŋ. me la, tɔdziʋu aɖeke menɔ anyi si tsɔa amewo ɖeɖeko o. Asitsatɔdziʋuwoe mɔzɔlawo ɖona. Eye anɔ eme be ameƒomevi ɖesiaɖe—siwo dometɔ aɖewoe nye Dziɖuɖumegãwo, agbalẽnyalawo, gbeƒãɖelawo, afakalawo, nutalawo, kamedefefewɔlawo, asitsalawo, modzakaɖetsaɖilawo, kple tsatsalawo—ɖoa wo.

Gake tɔdziʋu sue siwo tsɔa amewo kple agbawo le ƒutawo nɔ anyi. Paulo anya ɖo tɔdziʋu sue siawo dometɔ ɖeka le Troa tsɔ ‘tso ƒu yi Makedonia.’ Anɔ eme be eɖo tɔdziʋu suewo yi Atene gaɖoe gbɔe wu zi ɖeka. Anye hã be tɔdziʋu sue siawo dometɔ aɖee Paulo ɖo esime wòzɔ mɔ emegbe tso Troa yi Patara to ƒukpo siwo te ɖe Asia Sue ƒe ƒuta ŋu. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 16:8-11; 17:14, 15; 20:1-6, 13-15; 21:1) Ʋu sue siawo ɖoɖo meɖua game o, gake womate ŋu ate kpɔ adzo le go ŋu ayi keke ƒugã la dzi o. Eyata tɔdziʋu siwo tsɔ Paulo yi Kipro eye emegbe yi Pamfilia kple esiwo tsɔe tso Efeso yi Kaisarea kple tso Patara yi Tiro anya lolo wu. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 13:4, 13; 18:21, 22; 21:1-3) Tɔdziʋu si me Paulo nɔ wògbã le Melite hã anya lolo. Aleke gbegbee tɔdziʋu siawo ate ŋu aloloe?

Agbalẽŋlɔlawo ƒe nuwo me kuku na agbalẽnyala aɖe gblɔ be: “[Tɔdziʋu] si le sue wu ɖesiaɖe si blematɔwo lɔ̃a zazã zi geɖe la te ŋu tsɔa agba anɔ tɔn 70 va ɖo 80. Esiwo wozãna vevie le Helatɔziziɖeamedzi ɣeyiɣiwo me la nɔ tɔn 130. Togbɔ be tɔn 250 tɔ bɔ hã la, kokoko la elolo wu esi wolɔ̃a zazã. Le Romatɔwo ŋɔli la, tɔdziʋu siwo wozãna le dziɖuɖu mɔzɔnyawo me gɔ̃ hã galolo wu, ate ŋu atsɔ agba tɔn 340. Tɔdziʋu gãtɔwo kekeake de tɔn 1300, ɖewohĩ wote ŋu lolona wu vie.” Nuɖɔɖɔ aɖe si woŋlɔ le ƒe alafa evelia M.Ŋ. me gblɔ be, Isis si nye Aleksandria-gbatsɔʋu, ƒe didime wu meta 55, eye wòkeke anɔ meta 14, eye eme ƒe goglome ade meta 13, eye ɖewohĩ ate ŋu atsɔ nuɖuɖugba siwo awu tɔn akpe ɖeka eye ɖewohĩ agate ŋu atsɔ mɔzɔla alafa ʋee aɖewo kpee.

Aleke wokpɔa ʋuɖolawo dzi le nuɖuɖugbatsɔʋuwo me? Esi wònye agbatsɔʋuwo koŋ wonye ta la, womebua ʋuɖolawo ŋu abe agbaawo ene o. Womenaa nuɖuɖu alo nu bubu aɖeke wo tsɔ wu tsi ko o. Womlɔa ʋua me le anyigba, ɖewohĩ le avɔgbadɔ aɖe ƒomevi siwo wotuna le zã me eye wogakakanɛ le ŋdi me la me. Togbɔ be wote ŋu ɖea mɔ na ʋuɖolawo be woazã nuɖaƒe si wowɔ ɖe ʋua me hena nuɖaɖa hã la, ele be woa ŋutɔwo nadi nusiwo hiã na nuɖaɖa, nuɖuɖu, tsilele, kple anyimɔmlɔ la ɖe asi—tso zewo kple agbawo dzi va ɖo kuntruwo dzi.

Ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ—Aleke Wònɔ Dedie?

Esi mɔ̃wo—taɖoƒefianu gɔ̃ hã—menɔ ʋukulawo si le ƒe alafa gbãtɔ me o ta la, ŋkunukpɔkpɔ dzie wonɔa te ɖo kua ʋu. Eyata ɣeyiɣi siwo xexeme kɔna lae mɔzɔzɔ nɔa dedie wu—zi geɖe tso May ƒe nuwuwu lɔƒo va ɖo September ƒe domedome. Le ɣleti eve siwo doa ŋgɔ na ɣemaɣi kple ɣleti eve siwo doa megbe nɛ me la, ɖeko asitsalawo tea ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ kpɔna be anyo hã. Gake le vuvɔŋɔli la, afu kple alilikpo dodowo tsyɔa dzesidenuwo dzi kple ɣea ŋgɔ le ŋkeke me eye wòtsyɔa ɣletiviwo ŋgɔ le zã me. Tso November 11 vaseɖe March 10 dzi la, wogblɔna be wodzudzɔa ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ (Latin, mare clausum) negbe ne nane hiã vevie alo hiã kpata koe wozɔa mɔ. Amesiwo zɔa mɔ le ɣeyiɣia ƒe nuwuwu lɔƒo te ŋu tsia ʋudzeƒedu bubu me le vuvɔŋɔli.—Dɔwɔwɔwo 27:12; 28:11.

Togbɔ be afɔkuwo te ŋu nɔa ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ me eye wònye ɣeyiɣi aɖewo ko ƒe mɔzɔzɔ hã la, ɖe wòɖea vi le nanewo me wu anyigbadzimɔzɔzɔa? Ẽ, eɖea vi wu le nanewo me! Ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ metea ɖeɖi ame ŋu abe anyigbadzimɔzɔzɔ ene o, eƒe ʋuɖofe ɖi wu, eye eƒe mɔzɔzɔ tsɔna wu. Ne yame ƒe nɔnɔme de ame dzi la, tɔdziʋu ate ŋu azɔ kilometa 150 le ŋkeke ɖeka me. Zi geɖe mɔ didi zɔzɔ kple afɔ nyea kilometa 25 vaseɖe 30 le ŋkeke ɖeka me.

Ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ ƒe ablaɖeɖe katã nɔ te ɖe ya dzi. Mɔzɔzɔ tso Egipte yi Italia nye akɔkpekpe kple ya agbadree, ne mɔzɔɣi nyuitɔ kekeakee hã. Zi geɖe la, mɔ kpuitɔ kekeakee nye esi to Rodo alo Mira alo ʋudzeƒe bubu le Likia-ƒuta le Asia Sue. Gbeɖeka esi Isis si nye nuɖuɖugbatsɔʋua kpe ya eye wòbu mɔ la, edze go ɖe Piraeus le ŋkeke 70 megbe tso esime wòho tso Aleksandria. Esi dzieheɣetoɖoƒeya sesẽwo nɔ ʋua tutum tso megbe ta la, mɔa zɔzɔ tso Italia le gbɔgbɔɣi anya xɔ ŋkeke 20 va ɖo 25. Gake le anyigbadzimɔzɔzɔ gome la, mɔ ma ke zɔzɔ axɔ ŋkeke 150 yiyi kple gbɔgbɔ, le yame ƒe nɔnɔme deamedziwo me.

Wotsɔ Nyanyuia Ðo Keke Ƒugodo Ʋĩ Ke

Edze ƒã be Paulo nya nu tso afɔku siwo le ƒudzimɔzɔzɔ le ɣeyiɣi madeamedziwo me ŋu. Exlɔ̃ nu le ƒudzizɔzɔ le September ƒe nuwuwu lɔƒo alo October ƒe gɔmedzedze ŋu gɔ̃ hã, gblɔ be: “Mía tɔwo, mekpɔ bena, ƒudzizɔzɔ la le dzi yi ge kple fuɖeɖe kpakple nugbegblẽ geɖe, si menye ʋuamenuwo kple ʋua ɖeɖeko dzi wòava o, ke boŋ mía ŋutɔwo ƒe agbe hã dzie.” (Dɔwɔwɔwo 27:9, 10) Gake aʋafia si le wo nu ŋe aɖaba ƒu nya sia dzi, eye esia wɔe be ʋua gbã le Melite.

Kaka Paulo ƒe dutanyanyuigbɔgblɔdɔa nawu enu la, enɔ ʋu me wògbã ade zi gbɔ zi ene ya teti. (Dɔwɔwɔwo 27:41-44; Korintotɔwo II, 11:25) Gake nyanyuigbeƒãɖela gbãtɔwo metsi dzi ɖe nusiawo siwo ate ŋu adzɔ ŋu akpa wòwɔe be wogbe mɔzɔzɔ to ƒua dzi o. Wowɔ mɔzɔzɔ mɔnu ɖesiaɖe si ʋu ɖi na wo la ŋudɔ tsɔ kaka Fiaɖuƒe gbedasia. Eye le wɔwɔ ɖe Yesu ƒe gbeɖeɖe dzi la, woɖi ɖase wòde didiƒe ʋĩ kple teƒe geɖe. (Mateo 28:19, 20; Dɔwɔwɔwo 1:8) Le woƒe veviedodo, amesiwo to woƒe afɔtoƒewo ƒe xɔse, kple Yehowa ƒe gbɔgbɔ kɔkɔea ƒe mɔfiafia me la, nyanyuia de anyigba la ƒe didiƒe ʋĩ siwo amewo le ke hã.

[Nɔnɔmetata Tsoƒe si le axa 31]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.