After a remarkable digression into Steady State/Big Bang theory, and cosmological mathematical modelling, we reviewed the possibilities that a) Ignatius and his guard traveled to Rome by boat with several stops (b) that he traveled by land, and (c) a combination of the above.
Philadelphia seems to be neither on the land route not the sea route, but apparently Ignatius met members of the Philadelphian church at Troas.
Ignatius told the Philadelphians to ignore Jewish law
We compared this with -- :
Paul says Jewish law helps you tell right from wrong, but has no saving power
James the Just, head of Jerusalem church was famous for his devotion to the law
Marcion, the famous second century heretic, denounced the "Jewish god" as evil, togther with the law.
Oddly, Ignatius asks the Philadephians to send a delegate to Antioch to congratulate them on the lifting of persecution. This seemed a long way to go for a courtesy visit, and we wondered whether some kind of inter-church conference was in prospect.