Day 2 - Caesarea

Aquaduct

Our first stop was at a Roman aqueduct. The lack of fresh water at Herod's new city required a lengthy aqueduct to bring water from springs at the base of Mt. Carmel nearly ten miles away. In order that the water would flow by the pull of gravity, the aqueduct was built on arches and the gradient was carefully measured. Later Hadrian and the Crusaders would attach additional channels to Herod's aqueduct.

Caesarea Maritima

• Biblical References

§ Philip the evangelist preached and lived in Caesarea (Acts 8:40).

§ Peter was sent to baptize Cornelius, a centurion of the Roman garrison in Caesarea(Acts 10).

§ Peter came to Caesarea after delivered from prison (Acts 12;19).

§ King Herod Agrippa of Judaea died at Caesarea; being "eaten of worms" (Acts 12:19-23).

§ Paul visited the city when he arrived or departed by ship from the harbor atCaesarea (Acts 9:30; 18:22; 21:8-16).

§ Paul was imprisoned at Caesarea for two years before sailing to Rome to appear before Caesar (Acts 23:22-26:32).

• Background
• Built in 4^th century BCE; “Before Common Era”
• Over course of 12 years built up by Herod the Great into grandest city second only to Jerusalem.
• In 21 BCE, Herod the Great built a massive, two-part harbor, an inner and outer harbor. It could accommodate 300 ships.
• "the king triumphed over nature and constructed a harbor larger than thePiraeus, including other deep roadsteads within its recesses. Notwithstanding the totally recalcitrant nature of the site, he grappled with the difficulties so successfully, that the solidity of his masonry defied the sea, while its beauty was such as if no obstacle had existed." Josephus.
• Holds the only archaeological evidence of Pilate’s existence.
• Fresh water pool.
• Originally called Sebastos meaning ‘deep harbor’ in Greek but changed toCaesarea in honor of the emperor Caesar Augustus.
• Headquarters for Roman legions stationed in Judea
• Titus condemned 1,500 Jews to fight with wild beasts in amphitheater

Hippodrome - Herod the Great built a hippodrome along the coast at Caesarea Maritima in 10 B.C. to celebrate the opening of the city. In the second century A.D. the south side of the hippodrome was reconstructed as an amphitheater to be used for gladiatorial contests.

Links

• Gateway in Caesarea
• Hippodrome in 360 Cities

Saad

Saad

Here is Saad our tour guide. He is a Palestinian Christian who knows 7 languages. He's 70 years old and one of the most interesting people I've ever met. His claim to fame is that he has been the tour guide for both Billy and Franklin Graham. I asked him, "So all modesty being considered, do you think your the best tour guide there is?" His response was "Yes! I teach the tour guides."

Saad on UTube