Mediterranean view to Patmos

Patmos lies inside the boundaries of modern-day Greece, but it’s only 31 miles (50 km) from the Turkish coast. This island was used as a place to keep political prisoners during the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian. When Domitian was assassinated, John was apparently released. He returned to Ephesus, where he died a few years later. While on Patmos, John received the Revelation of Jesus and was told to circulate the document to seven churches in Asia Minor, all of them relatively close to Patmos. Ephesus was the closest (60 miles, 97 km) and Laodicea (140 miles, 125 km) was furthest from the island.