“Mu Kaga ko mu Nyanja”

MU MWIJIMA wa nijoro, ubwato butwaye abantu 276 buragenda bwegera ikirwa cyo mu nyanja ya Méditerranée. Abakozi b’ubwato n’abagenzi bananijwe cyane n’umuhengeri umaze iminsi 14 yose ubakoza hirya no hino. Umuseke utambitse, babona ubutaka maze bagerageza komorera ubwo bwato ku nkombe. Ariko igice cy’imbere gifashwe ahantu ku buryo kidashobora kunyeganyega, naho umuhengeri umenaguye igice cy’inyuma ukigira imyase. Abari bari muri ubwo bwato bose babuvuyemo maze bashobora kugera ku nkombe z’ikirwa cya Melita boga, cyangwa bafashe ku mbaho zireremba cyangwa ku bindi bintu. Barandara bava mu mazi ajugunywa imusozi n’umuhengeri ukaze, bagagajwe n’imbeho kandi banegekaye. Muri abo bagenzi harimo intumwa y’Umukristo Pawulo. Ajyanywe i Roma gucirwa urubanza.​—Ibyakozwe 27:27-​44.

Kuri Pawulo, kumeneka k’ubwato ku kirwa cya Melita, si cyo kintu cya mbere cyari gishyize ubuzima bwe mu kaga mu nyanja. Imyaka mike mbere y’aho, yaranditse ati “ibihe bitatu inkuge zaramenetse, naraye imuhengeri nirirwamo.” Yongeyeho avuga ko yabaye “mu kaga ko mu nyanja” (2 Abakorinto 11:25-27). Gukora ingendo zo mu nyanja byafashije Pawulo gusohoza inshingano yahawe n’Imana, yo kuba “intumwa ku banyamahanga.”​—Abaroma 11:13.

None se, mu kinyejana cya mbere ingendo zo mu nyanja zakorwaga mu rugero rungana iki? Ni uruhe ruhare zagiraga mu gukwirakwiza Ubukristo? Zari zifite umutekano mu rugero rungana iki? Ni ubuhe bwoko bw’amato bwakoreshwaga? Kandi se, ni gute abagenzi bitabwagaho?

Roma Yari Ikeneye Ubucuruzi bwo mu Nyanja

Abaroma bitaga inyanja ya Méditerranée Mare Nostrum​—ni ukuvuga Inyanja Yacu. Kugenzura amayira amato yanyuragamo byari iby’ingenzi cyane kuri Roma, bitewe n’impamvu zitari iza gisirikare gusa. Imyinshi mu mijyi y’Ubwami bwa Roma yari ibyambu, cyangwa se ikaba yaragemurirwaga na byo. Urugero, Roma yari ifite icyambu cyayo hafi ya Ostia, mu gihe Korinto yo yakoreshaga Lechaeum na Kenkireya, hanyuma Antiyokiya y’i Siriya ikagemurirwa na Selukiya. Ingendo zo mu nyanja zihoraho hagati y’ibyo byambu, zatumaga habaho uburyo bwihuse bwo gushyikirana n’imijyi y’ingenzi, kandi zatumaga habaho uburyo bwiza bworoshye bwo gutegeka intara zari zarigaruriwe n’Abaroma.

Nanone kandi, Roma yacungiraga ku mikoreshereze y’amato kugira ngo ibone ibiribwa yari ikeneye. Kubera ko Roma yari ituwe n’abaturage bagera hafi kuri miriyoni imwe, yari ikeneye ibinyampeke byinshi cyane​—ugereranyije bikaba byarageraga kuri toni ziri hagati ya 250.000 na 400.000 ku mwaka. Ibyo binyampeke byose byaturukaga he? Uwitwa Flavius Josephus yanditse amagambo yavuzwe na Herode Agiripa II, avuga ko Afurika y’Amajyaruguru yatungaga Roma mu mezi umunani y’umwaka, naho Misiri yo ikohereza ibiribwa by’ibinyampeke bihagije byo gutunga uwo mujyi mu gihe cy’amezi ane yandi. Amato abarirwa mu bihumbi yakoreshwaga mu nyanja, yakoraga ibihereranye no kugemurira ibinyampeke uwo mujyi.

Mu kuzanira Abaroma ibintu by’iraha babaga bashaka, ubucuruzi bwungukaga cyane bwo mu nyanja bwazanaga ibicuruzwa by’amoko yose. Ibintu byo mu bwoko bw’amabuye y’agaciro bicukurwa mu butaka, amabuye akoreshwa ibintu bitandukanye hamwe n’amabuye y’urugarika bita marbre, byazaga mu mato biturutse i Kupuro, mu Bugiriki no mu Misiri, naho imbaho zigaturuka muri Libani. Divayi yavaga i Simuruna, imbuto zifite ibihu bikomeye zigaturuka i Damasiko, naho imbuto z’imikindo zikava muri Palesitina. Amavuta yo kwisiga n’ibikoresho bikozwe muri caoutchouc byapakirirwaga i Kilikiya, imyenda ikozwe mu bwoya bw’amatungo igapakirirwa i Mileto n’i Lawodikiya, ubudodo bubohwamo imyenda bugaturuka muri Siriya no muri Libani, naho imyenda y’imihengeri i Tiro n’i Sidoni. Amarangi yoherezwaga aturutse i Tuwatira, ibirahuri bigaturuka muri Alekizanderiya n’i Sidoni. Ihariri, ipamba, amahembe y’inzovu n’ibirungo byavaga mu Bushinwa no mu Buhindi.

Twavuga iki ku bwato bwamenekeye i Melita, na Pawulo akaba yari aburimo? Bwari ubwato bwatwaraga ibinyampeke, ‘inkuge yavaga mu Alekizanderiya ijya mu Italiya.’ (Ibyakozwe 27:6, NW ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji.) Amato yatwaraga ibinyampeke yari ay’Abagiriki, Abanyafoyinike n’Abasiriya bikorera ku giti cyabo, bakaba ari bo bayayoboraga kandi bakayashyiramo ibyabaga bikenewe. Icyakora, ayo mato yakodeshwaga na Leta. Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa William M. Ramsay yagize ati “mu birebana no gukorakoranya imisoro, leta yasanze gushinga ako kazi abantu bagiranye na yo amasezerano, ari byo byoroshye kurusha ko yo ubwayo yari kwiyoborera iyo gahunda ndende isaba abantu benshi n’ibikoresho byinshi, kugira ngo uwo murimo ukomeye ukorwe.”

Pawulo yashoje urugendo rwe rujya i Roma ari mu bwato bufite ikimenyetso cy’ishusho y’ “Abavandimwe b’Impanga,” imbere yabwo. Ubwo na bwo bwari ubwato bw’Abanyalekizanderiya. Bwakukiraga i Puteyoli mu Kigobe cya Naples, mu cyambu ubusanzwe amato atwara ibinyampeke yatsikagamo (Ibyakozwe 28:11-​13). I Puteyoli​—ubu hasigaye hitwa Pouzzoles​—imizigo yahavaga inyuze iy’ubutaka, cyangwa se igatwarwa n’amato matoya yerekezaga iy’amajyaruguru, akagenda akurikiye inkombe, akazamuka mu Ruzi rwa Tibre, akagera muri Roma rwagati.

Mbese, Abagenzi Bagendaga mu Bwato Butwara Imizigo?

Kuki Pawulo n’abasirikare bari bamurinze bagiye mu bwato butwara imizigo? Kugira ngo dusubize icyo kibazo, tugomba kumenya icyo kugenda mu nyanja uri umugenzi byasobanuraga muri icyo gihe.

Mu kinyejana cya mbere I.C., nta bwato bwagenewe gutwara abagenzi gusa bwabagaho. Amato abagenzi bakoreshaga, yari amato y’abacuruzi. Kandi abantu b’ingeri zose​—hakubiyemo n’abakozi ba Leta, intiti, ababwiriza, abarozi, abanyabugeni, abakinnyi b’imikino ngororangingo, abacuruzi, ba mukerarugendo hamwe n’abagenzi b’abanyedini bajya gusura ahantu hera​—bashobora kuba barayagendagamo.

Birumvikana ariko ko hari hariho n’amato matoya yatwaraga abagenzi n’imizigo mu mazi yegereye inkombe. Pawulo ashobora kuba yarakoresheje bene ubwo bwato kugira ngo ‘yambuke [ajye] i Makedoniya’ avuye i Tirowa. Amato matoya ashobora kuba yarajyaga amujyana mu Atenayi kandi akamuvanayo incuro nyinshi. Nanone kandi, Pawulo ashobora kuba yarakoresheje ubwato butoya mu rugendo yaje kujyamo nyuma y’aho, ava i Tirowa ajya i Patara, anyuze mu birwa biri hafi y’inkombe za Aziya Ntoya (Ibyakozwe 16:8-​11; 17:14, 15; 20:1-6, 13-​15; 21:1). Gukoresha ayo mato matoya byacunguraga igihe, ariko ntiyashoboraga kwishora ngo ajye kure cyane y’inkombe. Bityo rero, amato yajyanaga Pawulo i Kupuro, hanyuma akamujyana i Pamfiliya, hamwe n’ayo yagendagamo ava mu Efeso ajya i Kayisariya, n’ayamuvanaga i Patara amujyana i Tiro, agomba kuba yari manini kurushaho mu buryo bugaragara (Ibyakozwe 13:4, 13; 18:21, 22; 21:1-3). Ubwato bwamenekeye i Melita Pawulo aburimo, na bwo bushobora kuvugwaho ko bwari bunini. Amato nk’ayo yashoboraga kuba ari manini mu rugero rungana iki?

Amakuru yaturutse mu banditsi b’ibitabo yatumye intiti imwe igira iti “[ubwato] bwashoboraga gutwara ibintu bike munsi y’ubundi bwose aba kera bakoreshaga muri rusange, bwatwaraga toni ziri hagati ya 70 na 80. Ubwo bakundaga gukoresha cyane, nibura mu bihe by’ubutegetsi bw’Abagiriki ba nyuma ya Alexandre le Grand, bwatwaraga toni 130. Ubwatwaraga toni 250, n’ubwo bwakundaga kuboneka, nta gushidikanya bwari bunini kurusha uburinganiye. Mu gihe cy’Abaroma, amato yakoreshwaga mu gutwara ibintu n’abantu, yo yari manini kurushaho, ayari akunze kuboneka akaba ari ayatwaraga toni 340. Amato manini kurusha ayandi yagendaga mu nyanja, yatwaraga toni zigera ku 1300, hakaba harashoboraga no kuboneka ayarutaho gato.” Dukurikije amagambo asobanura ayo mato, yanditswe mu kinyejana cya kabiri I.C., ubwato bwo muri Alekizanderiya bwatwaraga ibinyampeke bwitwaga Isis, bwari bufite metero zisaga 55 z’uburebure, bukagira metero zigera hafi kuri 15 z’ubugari, bukagira ubuhagarike bugera hafi kuri metero 14, kandi birashoboka ko bwashoboraga gutwara toni zisaga igihumbi z’ibinyampeke, hamwe wenda n’abagenzi babarirwa mu magana make.

Ni gute abagenzi bitabwagaho mu bwato bwatwaraga ibinyampeke? Kubera ko ayo mato yabaga mbere na mbere agenewe gutwara imizigo, abagenzi bazaga mu mwanya wa kabiri. Nta byo kurya bahabwaga, habe no kugira ikindi gikenewe bakorerwa, uretse guhabwa amazi gusa. Baryamaga ku kintu kigizwe n’imbaho zabaga zishashe intambike mu bwato, wenda mu tuzu tumeze nk’amahema babambaga nijoro maze bakayamanura buri gitondo. N’ubwo abagenzi bashobora kuba bari bemerewe gukoresha igikoni cy’ubwato kugira ngo bateke, bagomba kuba barishakiraga ibintu byose bya ngombwa byo guteka, kurya, kwiyuhagira no kuryama​—kuva ku bikoresho bitandukanye byo gutekamo ukageza ku byo kuryamamo.

Kugenda mu Nyanja​—Byari Bifite Umutekano mu Rugero Rungana Iki?

Kubera ko nta bikoresho abasare bo mu kinyejana cya mbere babaga bafite​—habe n’igikoresho cyerekana amerekezo (boussole)​—bayoborwaga n’amaso masa. Ku bw’ibyo rero, kugenda byabaga birimo umutekano mwinshi kurusha ikindi gihe, iyo babaga bashobora kubona neza kurushaho​—ubusanzwe bikaba byaraheraga mu mpera za Gicurasi bikageza muri Nzeri rwagati. Mu mezi abiri yabanzirizaga icyo gihe n’ayagikurikiraga, abacuruzi bashoboraga kujya mu mazi, ariko ari ukwishora. Ariko mu gihe cy’itumba, akenshi ikibunda n’ibicu byakingirizaga ibintu by’imusozi abantu bareberagaho kugira ngo bamenye aho bageze, kandi bigakingiriza izuba ku manywa, na nijoro bigakingiriza inyenyeri. Ibyo kugenda mu nyanja byafatwaga nk’aho bihagaze (mu Kilatini mare clausum) kuva ku itariki ya 11 Ugushyingo kugeza ku ya 10 Werurwe, uretse gusa mu gihe habaga hari ibintu bikenewe mu buryo budasubirwaho cyangwa byihutirwa. Abafataga urugendo mu mpera z’igihe cyiza, babaga bari mu kaga ko kumara igihe cy’imbeho mu cyambu cyo mu mahanga.​—Ibyakozwe 27:12; 28:⁠11.

N’ubwo kugenda mu mazi byari birimo akaga kandi bikagira igihe bikorwamo, mbese haba hari icyo byarushaga kunyura iy’ubutaka? Yego rwose! Kugenda mu mazi ntibyananizaga cyane, byari bihendutse kandi bikihuta kurushaho. Mu gihe imiyaga yabaga ari myiza, ubwato bwashoboraga kugenda ibirometero 150 ku munsi. Ubusanzwe, urugendo rurerure ku maguru, rwari ibirometero biri hagati ya 25 na 30 ku munsi.

Umuvuduko w’ubwato waterwaga ahanini n’imiyaga. Urugendo rwo kuva mu Misiri ujya mu Butaliyani, rwari intambara ihoraho bagendaga barwana n’imiyaga yashakaga gusubiza ubwato iyo buvuye, ndetse no mu bihe byiza kurusha ibindi. Ubusanzwe inzira y’ubusamo yari iyo kunyura i Rodo, cyangwa i Mura, cyangwa se ku kindi cyambu cyari kiri ku nkombe z’i Lukiya muri Aziya Ntoya. Igihe kimwe, ubwato bwatwaraga ibinyampeke bwitwaga Isis bumaze guhura n’umuhengeri maze bukayoba, bwaje guhagarara mu cyambu cya Pirée, nyuma y’iminsi 70 bwari bumaze butsutse buva muri Alekizanderiya. Kubera imiyaga myinshi yahuhaga ituruka mu majyaruguru y’uburengerazuba yabaga iri inyuma yabwo, urugendo rwo kugaruka buje umujyo umwe buva mu Butaliyani, rwashoboraga kuba rwakorwa mu minsi 20 kugera kuri 25. Mu nzira y’ubutaka, icyerekezo wajyamo icyo ari cyo cyose, mu bihe byiza urugendo nk’urwo rwatwara iminsi isaga 150.

Ubutumwa Bwiza Bwajyanywe Hakurya y’Inyanja Kure

Uko bigaragara, Pawulo yari azi ibihereranye n’akaga ko kugenda mu nyanja mu gihe kitari icyo kugendamo. Ndetse yanatanze inama yo kutajya mu nyanja mu mpera za Nzeri cyangwa mu ntangiriro z’Ukwakira, agira ati “yemwe bagabo, mbonye yuko uru rugendo rugiye kubamo ibyago no gupfusha byinshi, si iby’inkuge n’ibirimo gusa, ahubwo n’ubugingo bwacu na bwo” (Ibyakozwe 27:9, 10). Icyakora, umusirikari mukuru wari uyoboye abandi ntiyitaye kuri ayo magambo, kandi ingaruka zabyo zabaye iz’uko ubwo bwato bwamenekeye i Melita.

Ku iherezo ry’umurimo w’ubumisiyonari wa Pawulo, ubwato bwari bwaramumenekeyeho nibura incuro enye (Ibyakozwe 27:41-44; 2 Abakorinto 11:25). Ariko kandi, guhangayikishwa mu buryo bukabije n’ibyo bintu byashoboraga kubaho, ntibyabujije ababwiriza ba mbere b’ubutumwa bwiza kugenda mu nyanja. Uko byashobokaga kose, bakoreshaga uburyo bwose bwo kugenda bwariho, kugira ngo bakwirakwize ubutumwa bw’Ubwami. Kandi mu kumvira itegeko rya Yesu, ubuhamya bwatanzwe mu mpande zose z’isi (Matayo 28:19, 20; Ibyakozwe 1:⁠8). Biturutse ku mwete wabo, ku kwizera kw’abakurikije urugero rwabo hamwe no ku buyobozi bw’umwuka wera wa Yehova, ubutumwa bwiza bwageze mu turere twa kure cyane tw’isi ituwe.

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 31]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.