Caesarea - By the Beautiful Sea

Looking from the courtyard of Herod's
palace out to the sea.

Herod the Great lived from 74 or 75 B.C until
4 B.C. and was an Idumean or Edomite from South of Judea.  Though the Jews did not consider him one, he converted to Judaism and served the Romans as King of Judea from about 34 B.C. until his death in 4 A.D.  He was also a madman, known for killing many, among them one of his wives and several of his sons as well as every male child under two in the village of Bethlehem when told of the birth of  "a new king" by the visiting Magi who were looking for the Christ child. He was also a genius at construction and was responsible for some of the marvels of that era including the Second Temple in Jerusalem,  Herodium (near Jericho), Masada (a place that we will visit soon) and Caesarea Maritima, an amazing man-made harbor and city by the Mediterranean Sea.

The Caesarea of Herod's time was named after Augustus Caesar and was the military and administrative capital of Judea during the time of the Romans.  It's large man-made harbor made it a

Herod's Palace had a swimming pool that
protruded out into the Mediterranean.

center of trade for ships coming from  all over the world.  It featured a temple dedicated to Augustus Caesar, a large palace that jutted out into the sea, a hippodrome for chariot races and games, baths and a large and diverse population.  Over the years it was conquered repeatedly by the Persians, Turks, Crusaders and finally Muslim invaders, who destroyed it. Jews and Byzantines also inhabited it for brief periods of time. In addition it was devastated by a number earthquakes which finally destroyed the harbor.  It's ruins sit on the Mediterranean halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa.  

           

             The Remains of the Hippodrome
       at Caesarea

The Theater at Caesarea is still used today

Who is that driving that chariot?

The huge Roman bathes at Caesarea have some beautifully
preserved mosaics

Caesarea was introduced to Christianity when Cornelius the Roman Centurion, and others who had gathered with him, heard the good news of Christ from Peter and were baptized.  Philip the Evangelist also lived in Caesarea often housing the Apostle Paul who was finally impriioned there for two years and appealed his case to Caesar before Festus, the Roman governor at the time.

Ruins of the Ancient Buildings in  the Harbor Area

Looking Toward the Mediterranean from the Harbor Building Ruins

Entrance to the Harbor Through the Crusader Ruins

Today Caesarea is an Israeli National Park.  Archaeological excavations and reconstruction began there in the 1950s and 1960s and continue on a small scale to this day.  The southern end of the site contains the ruins from the time of Romans; and the northern area which was built by the Crusaders has a wonderful example of a moat.  There is also evidence of Muslim influence with a minaret in the harbor area.  Between the two areas is what remains of the harbor which has been developed into a lovely tourist area filled with shops, restaurants, a beach and even a diving school and underwater museum.  It is a popular area for family vacations as it is surrounded by hotels and homes and even is the location of one of the few golf courses in Israel. The theater, built by Herod, has been refurbished and is still used for concerts and events today.  In addition the promenade and restaurant areas are popular and well used and often are the site of newly wedded couples and their entourages who like to come there to have photographs taken.

What a Beautiful Place for Wedding Photos!

                                                                     

The Remains of the Roman Aqueduct

There is also a second popular beach north of the park area in Caesarea where there is a wonderful and picturesque section of a double Roman aqueduct which brought water from springs at the foot of Mt. Carmel.  The beautiful sands and lovely Mediterranean make it another great place to visit in the area.

We have often taken visitors to see Caesarea, but it is also one of our favorite places to go as a couple. We love to sit in one of the restaurants and have a delicious dinner while watching the sun as it sets over the beautiful sea. Caesarea is a wonderful balance between historical significance and modern day pleasure.

Sunset at Caesarea