Vernon Bartlett on Papias's unique geographic position for collecting traditions

Vernon Bartlett (from his work "Papias's Exposition") argues Hierapolis stood at the meeting point of two great roads: east-west between Antioch/Syria and Ephesus, and southeast to Pamphylia and northwest to Smyrna. This position made Papias "almost uniquely placed" for collecting traditions coming directly from the original home of the Gospel, from Palestinian Christian leaders, and from the Jewish diaspora settled in Asia.