An ancient city of Caesarea, known also as Caesarea Maritima ("Seaside Caesarea") was built over 2,000 years ago by the Judean King Herod at the place of a small Phoenician Port Straton's Tower.
Herod decided to dedicate this new city to the Roman Emperor ("Caesar"), Augustus Octavian. And, in exchange, the Emperor came to the newly-built Caesarea for the opening of the "Middle Eastern Olympic Games".
Herod never lived in Caesarea and visited it only for the official meetings. But still, he majestically decorated it with a classical Roman Theater, Hippodrome, Aqueduct and Roman Temple.
But still, his greatest achievement here was a construction of the huge transition port, the biggest at that time. This port could simultaneously accommodate over 200 sea ships. And it was built of concrete, over 1,900 years before it was reinvented in the early XX Century.
After the fall of Judea in 70 AD, Caesarea turned into the Roman capital of the Roman Province.
Here the only evidence of the existence of Pontius Pilatus was found. To Caesarea Apostle Paul was brought in chains was here he was interrogated by the Roman Governor, Felix.
For hundreds years, Caesarea was also a cultural center of Roman Palestine. Here the first history of the Christian Church was written by Eusebius 1,700 years ago.
Caesarea also played a very important role in Jewish history. Here, in year 66 AD, the Great Jewish Revolt against the Romans started. And here, at the end of another Jewish Revolt, led by Bar-Kokhba' its spiritual leader Rabbi Akiva was tortured to death by the raging Romans.
Roman Caesarea was destroyed by the invading Arab armies in the VII Century AD, and turned into a small but well-fortified town.
But the city was revived again in the XIII Century, when the Crusades Kind Luis the IX, "The Saint" rebuilt it completely and surrounded it with the huge walls and towers, which not the enemies and not the time could not destroy.
Caesarea' excavations continues for dozens of years, and this town is rightfully considered today as one of the World' miracles.
The tour of Caesarea takes us back over 2,000 years ago, and leads us through the achievements of the Human History, from those times and until our own days. All that makes a visit to Caesarea an unforgettable and exciting experience.
Want to know more? Just join our tour of Caesarea!
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