CAESAREA
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| Herod the Great built an amazing port in honor of Caesar |
On the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel lies the remains of King Herod the Great's amazing port and palace. Herod the Great (there were other Herods also) was an evil man who, among other atrocities, had all the children in Bethlehem up to two years old murdered to try and kill the Christ child. But he was an amazing architect. He built Caesarea, ornately added to second temple in Jerusalem, and built Masada.
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| Crusader wall |
Upon approaching the Caesarea ruins, we walked along the remains of the wall the Crusaders built, including a mote around the wall. The wall was breached in just three days by the Arab invasion.
Some breathtaking views were revealed as we walked up to start the tour around the ruins.
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| Original wall segments lie where they fell from an earthquake long ago. |
Conquests, earthquakes and time turned what was once a magnificent port and city into just remains visited by us today.
As years and years moved on, Caesarea fell into the hands of the different conquerors and people groups. The spire you see here is from the time the Arabs had control of the city.
A portion of the inner sea wall extends into the bay here. It was met with another wall opposite that made a narrow entrance to the docking area.
This is a map of the original Herodian city showing the sea wall and harbor.
Conquerors, earthquakes and time have turned Caesarea into ruins.
This is the original dock where the ships would load and unload cargo and passengers. Peter came here when visiting Cornelius, the centurion in Acts chapter 10. Paul the apostle boarded here on his way to Rome.
This is an original anchor stone that sere used to guide the ships up to the dock. John West, our guide, explained that the reference in Hebrews 6:19 (in the Bible) refers to the use of this anchor stone. A rope from the ship coming into the bay would be brought by a small boat to the anchor stone. They would pull on the rope through the grove on the stone and thus guide the ship slowly and directly to the dock, where it was tied off and secured. The anchor stone is the unchangeable promise of God - we are tied to it by hope - and the Lord is pulling us to the dock of heaven! =)
The apostle Paul walk these very steps to board a ship to Rome.
Ruins of a Byzantine church during the Byzantine period.
This is a column piece that has a part number - the Greek letter Delta II (D - 2). The columns were chiseled in quarries and transported to the building site and assembled. (Herod's time).
Here at the north end of the Hippodrome, were horse stalls.
This is a straight shot down the Hippodrome (looking south). The middle of the race course is the darker patch in the middle (it was a median wall). The wall sticking out into the track was built at a later time for a structure above the track (covered by time). The races done here were the type of races depicted in the movie Ben Hur.
This is all that remains of Herod's upper palace with a fresh water pool in the middle. The water was brought by an aqueduct that stretched 10 km to springs in Shummi.
And this is all that's left of his magnificent palace that was built right out into the sea.
Archaeological finds keep proving the validity of the Bible! This is a stone mentioning Pontius Pilate.
This is what it would have looked like.
The amphitheater at Caesarea.
A Corinthian style capital with a cross, which was a Christian symbol.
The corner columns were made with the cross-cut of a heart shape. (I'm not sure when the current symbol for the heart came about.)
Herod had the Romans build an Aqueduct 10km long to bring fresh water to his palace at Caesarea. Miles of aqueduct still stand after over 2000 years!
After a climb up the broken end of the aqueduct Bonnie walked upstream.
Inviting, eh?
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| Beyond Bonnie is the current-day build up. The original dock is beyond these buildings. |
As years and years moved on, Caesarea fell into the hands of the different conquerors and people groups. The spire you see here is from the time the Arabs had control of the city.
A portion of the inner sea wall extends into the bay here. It was met with another wall opposite that made a narrow entrance to the docking area.
This is a map of the original Herodian city showing the sea wall and harbor.
 |
| Columns unearthed as they laid, toppled by earthquakes |
Conquerors, earthquakes and time have turned Caesarea into ruins.
This is the original dock where the ships would load and unload cargo and passengers. Peter came here when visiting Cornelius, the centurion in Acts chapter 10. Paul the apostle boarded here on his way to Rome.
The apostle Paul walk these very steps to board a ship to Rome.
Ruins of a Byzantine church during the Byzantine period.
This is a column piece that has a part number - the Greek letter Delta II (D - 2). The columns were chiseled in quarries and transported to the building site and assembled. (Herod's time).
Here at the north end of the Hippodrome, were horse stalls.
This is all that remains of Herod's upper palace with a fresh water pool in the middle. The water was brought by an aqueduct that stretched 10 km to springs in Shummi.
And this is all that's left of his magnificent palace that was built right out into the sea.
Archaeological finds keep proving the validity of the Bible! This is a stone mentioning Pontius Pilate.
This is what it would have looked like.
The amphitheater at Caesarea.
A Corinthian style capital with a cross, which was a Christian symbol.
The corner columns were made with the cross-cut of a heart shape. (I'm not sure when the current symbol for the heart came about.)
Herod had the Romans build an Aqueduct 10km long to bring fresh water to his palace at Caesarea. Miles of aqueduct still stand after over 2000 years!
After a climb up the broken end of the aqueduct Bonnie walked upstream.
Inviting, eh?
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