[wmfights]

"What he and Paul did was to lend their authority to the see of Rome, especially since each man was martyred there. As a result the capital city of the empire became the main focal point of the Church, especially after the destruction of Jerusalem."
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What proof is there that Peter was martyred upside down in Rome. We know Paul was because of the books he wrote.

I think your second point is much more on target about why Rome emerged as the dominant power within the early church. They were located where the money and power of the state was.

[RobbyS]

There is early testimony that he was, and none to the contrary. But as to the second point, I think there is a misconception about the social status of the early Christians. Our Lord was supported by women such as Mary Magdalen "from the own means," and he was consulted by the likes of Nicodemus, who was a very rich men. St. Paul aludes to the "knights of Caesar." Judaism already had wide appeal among all social classes of Roman society, and her comes a form of Judaism that does away with all the particularity of Judaism that repelled them. Yes, so Rome was a natural place for Peter to go.