Emperor worship was far more prominent in the Land of Japheth than in Syria and Cilicia, so it would have made a painful impression on Paul, not simply because it was religiously offensive but because of its political and social implications. Macedonia and Achaea had been conquered originally by military force, but, unlike Judea and Galatia, these provinces were now so completely pacified that there was no need for Rome to establish a military presence there and the capital could rely on the loyalty of the local ruling class.
