Just a few of the sources:
https://www.ancient.eu/article/637/roman-daily-life/
Note, in particular, #2, 3, and 4:
http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/the-seve...-city-dweller/
Note the housing of the poor/middle class (insulae): (very close together)
www.crystalinks.com/romebuildings.html
Note mention of crowded conditions inside city walls and comment regarding area just outside city walls carrying stigma of poverty:
https://globalperipheries.wordpress....amples-suburbs
m.historyextra.com/article/romans/dangerous-streets-ancient-rome
I guess my point is that due to limitations in number and means of transportation, and--one I have not mentioned before--the fact that there were still living apostles and disciples of the apostles alive to minimize intrusion of "new" doctrines, the church was "one" church. Within the city walls, Rome's area was only 5.3 square miles. Yes, suburbs existed but they were almost identical (among the poor) to those inside the walls. So, there really WAS just "one" church--but that changed as the numbers grew and as various new teachers arrived with different/unique "visions" of what the true doctrines were. Due to not having a feeling of uniqueness in location or teaching from other churches, they did not give themselves a unique name. The fact that they did not have any other name caused the Lord to call them by their city's name. I just can't see that this means it is the way God sees and counts churches today. If that were so, I think He would have said so. The only reason it happened in Revelation is because of what I stated above. He spoke to them as they were.