Per this article it seems to me that Antioch was the center of Jewish life in the 1st Century CE. Judaism and Jewish Christianity in Antioch: Charisma and Conflict in the First Century by Robert Hann. How can I corroborate this claim?
I would go to a couple of bible dictionaries and read the articles AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES for "Antioch". A quick look in my library finds decent articles in at least the Lexham Bible Dictionary, Anchor Bible Dictionary, and the Dictionary of Paul and his Letters...
