▁says , ▁“ It ▁must ▁be ▁admitted ▁that ▁a ▁personal ▁visit ▁of ▁the ▁Apost le ▁Thomas ▁to ▁South ▁India ▁was ▁easily ▁feas ible ▁in ▁the ▁traditional ▁belief ▁that ▁he ▁came ▁by ▁way ▁of ▁Soc ot ra , ▁where ▁an ▁ancient ▁Christian ▁settlement ▁und ou bt edly ▁existed . ▁I ▁am ▁now ▁satisfied ▁that ▁the ▁Christian ▁church ▁of ▁South ▁India ▁is ▁extremely ▁ancient ... ▁ ”. ▁ ▁Although ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁l ively ▁trade ▁between ▁the ▁Near ▁East ▁and ▁India ▁via ▁Mes op ot am ia ▁and ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf , ▁the ▁most ▁direct ▁route ▁to ▁India ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁century ▁was ▁via ▁Alexand ria ▁and ▁the ▁Red ▁Sea , ▁taking ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁Mon so on ▁wind s , ▁which ▁could ▁carry ▁ships ▁directly ▁to ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁Mal ab ar ▁coast . ▁The ▁discovery ▁of ▁large ▁ho ards ▁of ▁Roman ▁co ins ▁of ▁ 1 st - century ▁Ca es ars ▁and ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁Roman ▁trad ing ▁posts ▁test ify ▁to ▁the ▁frequency ▁of ▁that ▁trade . ▁In ▁addition , ▁th riv ing ▁Jewish ▁colon ies ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁found ▁at ▁the ▁various ▁trad ing ▁cent ers , ▁thereby ▁furn ishing ▁obvious ▁bases ▁for ▁the ▁apost ol ic ▁witness . ▁ ▁Pie cing ▁together ▁the ▁various ▁trad itions , ▁one ▁may ▁conclude ▁that ▁Thomas ▁left ▁north - west ▁India ▁when ▁invasion ▁threatened ▁and ▁tra ve led ▁by ▁vessel ▁to ▁the ▁Mal ab ar ▁coast , ▁possibly ▁visit ing ▁sout heast ▁Arab ia ▁and ▁Soc ot ra ▁en