It was also Pagan....and Our Lord had instructed The Twelve not to go there [Matthew 10:5}! What part of this do you not understand?
Babylon in the mid first century was an abandoned city in ruins with almost nobody living there.
Balderdash! And when these Jews had understood what piety the king had towards God, and what kindness he had for Esdras, they were all greatly pleased; nay, many of them took their effects with them, and came to Babylon, as very desirous of going down to Jerusalem; but then the entire body of the people of Israel remained in that country; wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers.
The above quote is from Josephus, first century Jewish Historian. [Antiquities Book XI, Chapter V, Paragraph 2]
I get so tired of you folks trying to dismiss the humongous Jewish population which still lived in Babylon during the first century! Peter was sent to these folks [Galatians 3:7], not the Gentiles. Paul was commissioned to evangelize the Gentiles....you know that. Why continue to harp about the insignificance of Babylon when you know it to be false?
The words of Jesus:
"Go ye therefore, and teach ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world." Amen. Matthew 28:19-20 KJV