Caesarea

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Caesarea - Back then and Now
2000 years of history are reflected in the
excavated, cleaned and restored mounds of rocks
in Herods city, whose initiative we follow this
time
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Caesarea was built by Herod, the most
prominent builder of this land, on the ruins of a
Phoenician fisherman village, named Stratton
Tower. It was built in the best Roman tradition,
and Herod spared no efforts or means to create a
metropolis that entertained a deep water port
(one of the largest in the east Mediterranean,
despite the fact that it was constructed outside
of a natural bay). Herod ordered the creation of
an astounding palace, a 4000 seat amphitheater
(the oldest in the region), a lovely hippodrome
along the seashore, and an aqueduct carrying
a profusion of fresh water out of Shuni
and Tzabarin springs 17 kilometers (11 miles)
away from the city an extraordinary endeavor.
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Herod dedicated and named the city after his
benefactor Octavianus Augustus Caesar. Over the
years Caesarea became the Roman officials
residence, and in the Byzantine Era grew and
prospered, with 2000 Dunam (about 500 acres) and
100,000 residents. Caesarea has a Jewish aspect
as Jews lived in the city throughout the
centuries, some being quite significant to the
Jewish people. For instance, the Great Uprising
is assumed to be fueled by a rift with the
authorities. Some modest remains of a synagogue
were found at the north side of the archeological
site.
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Caesarea, as other regions around, experienced
the heavy hand of time, changing rulers,
destruction and reconstruction. Following is the
citys timeline.
10BC Herod completes the citys construction
with its deep water harbor, a palace, a
theater, a hippodrome and an aqueduct, 17
kilometers long (about 11 miles).
324-638 AD - The Byzantine Era marked by
significant prosperity, construction of a new
hippodrome, and an additional aqueduct.
638 AD- The Arab Invasion. Caesarea is sunk and
forgotten, but in the 9th century awakes, the
harbor regains activity, and a fortressed city is
erected around it (later its walls will be
interlaced with the Crusaders walls).
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1101 1251 The Crusaders rule the land. Luis
the IX fortifies the city (its walls remain
visible to this day). Following the Crusaders
demise and their being forced into exile, they
restore their stronghold in the port cities
alone, without Jerusalem. Caesarea becomes the
Crusaders fortressed capital until the end of
their residence in the land.
1265- Caesarea is taken over by Bibbers the
Mamluken, and his successor Al Malic El Ashraf.
They destroy it to the ground.
1561 The Ottoman Invasion. In 1878 the Turks
bring to Caesarea a group of Muslim Bosnian
refugees that build a village on top of the
Crusaders fortress ruins. This village was
destroyed during the independence war following
the Israeli occupation.
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We will start our tour of Caesarea at the north
end of the city, by the Herodian port. Here we
find the remains of the remarkable Crusaders
city and fortress, as well as the alter that
served various rulers and changed accordingly
with each new regime.
Let us enter through the marvelous and well
preserved Crusaders gate, with its five meter
(15 feet) tall arches, and walk along the
Crusaders street.
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We will climb over the forbidding wall, be
impressed by its power and its great towers that
protected the city, and peek down toward the
moat that was formed to slow down any ill
intended foe.
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Let us pause by the main hill (man made) that
served as the ritualistic center, dutifully
carrying each periods stamp, as we will see in
the following colored illustrations. Try to
imagine the east border of the Herodian port. It
was built at the end of todays green lawn. We
can still locate evidence of its existence.

Crusaders church preserved to this day.
Pagan-Herodian temple, 10 BC
Byzantine octagonal Cathedral, 4-5 century
Crusaders Basilica, circa 13 century
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This is the Bosnian village and its minaret. In
the background a well preserved Crusaders
two-story high fortress.
10
Caesareas harbor with the remains of its
northern wave breaker, riding the Herodian ports
outline, juxtaposed in the southwest by a new
wave breaker, leaning against a sunken illegal
immigrants boat. The Herodian port was larger
than the port of our days, but with the passage
of time parts have sunk into the sea, leaving its
trace in a dark underwater shadow, visible only
in tranquil water.
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Today, the ports beach awaits sunbathers. In the
background, the Crusaders fortress, nowadays
hosting an interactive multi-media show. To the
fortresss left are the reconstructed Bosnian
structures, containing another show, along a
comprehensive display of Herods architectural
accomplishments. By the minaret on the left, a
cafés porch overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
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Aerial view of Caesareas port
The Herodian port, marked in yellow, its
silhouette clearly visible underwater.
Todays port marked in magenta.
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Panoramic view of Caesareas port
A view of the port from south to north.
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A view toward the Roman/Byzantine citys
perimeter, a recent excavation.
An extravagant and well equipped Public Bathhouse
The Theater
Orot Rabin Coal Port
Herods Beach Hippodrome
Herods Riff Palace
Administrative zone, Tax Department and more
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In the bathhouse - on the left - are the oven and
under floor heating system. We can see the
small pillars that supported the floor. The floor
itself was removed over time. In the spaces
between the pillars, hot air circulated to warm
up the floor while radiating heat throughout the
room. Below passages for hot air along the
walls, which allowed the room to be filled with
steam - a two thousand year old Sauna.
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On the right - the central room of the bathhouse,
surrounded by private baths and treatment rooms.
Below the Palestra a pillar porch used for
stretching and relaxation. It also served as a
social gathering spot and business center.
Below right a segment of the bathhouses
mosaic floor.
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A view from south to north of the hippodrome,
reveals the racing arena where horses raced and
enthusiastically pulled chariots around the main
axis, its Achilles heel laying toward the ends
(Named Meta Prima and Meta Secunda), with their
sharp turns that witnessed many vehicles and
riders overturned.
Here are the hippodrome spectators seats. Most
of its eastern section preserved. Exposed to the
persistent water waves, most of the western
section has diminished over time.
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A view of the hippodrome in its entirety from
north to south buildings and backyards invaded
the hippodromes field at a later Byzantine era,
when a new and larger hippodrome was built in the
eastern part of the city. This earlier
hippodrome lost much of its value and charm. On
the left, and above, an artistic representation
of a Roman racing chariot.
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Here is a view toward the hippodromes
spectators gallery. The seats are comprised of a
basic local stone, and a restoration shows a
traditional carved stone facade, as the original
was lost over time. A staircase leads up and down
the aisle designed for theater patrons
convenience.
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A view of Herods two tiered Riff Palace, and its
pillar adorned garden.
Above the palaces upper level contained the
living areas and the garden. On the right
a swimming pool surrounded by a pillar courtyard.

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We are on our way to the theater an immense
structure with four thousand seats, soundly
constructed and the most ancient in the region,
where plays and other performances took place.
Originally a vast wall served as a background to
the stage and the seats were covered by a roof
(see computer simulation below on the left hand
side).
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A view from atop the patrons gallery toward the
stage and orchestral platform. The theater is
ready (including some plastic chairs) for
contemporary performances, implying that even
after two thousand years, the theater keeps its
unique place in current social and cultural life
of the nearby inhabitants.
Theater Seats close-up, and a descent into a
space beneath the stage
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The Byzantine Hippodrome of Caesarea, and an
Egyptian Obelisk in its center.
The Obelisk is an import from Egypt. Its original
height was double the current height, but during
the Arab invasion it was toppled and broken in
half. There it laid for 1500 years, and recently
restored, with a generous donation, to at least
half its original grandeur.
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East to the Crusaders city limits remains
of a Forum, discovered years ago, decorated with
statues of the Roman Goddess Romi and Augustus
Caesar (both decapitated).
Assumed to be a representation of Augustus
Caesar, despite the lack of a head. This crucial
omission means lack of reliable evidence to
positively determine the case. Amongst the
central causes for decapitated statues are the
heads formation in gold. Being a non-integral
part of the statue, made the lavish heads a
vulnerable target to robbery. In addition, over
the years rulers came and went, and each new
sovereign replaced the current statues head with
his own image to adorn the impressive body
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Our tour will end at the foot of the Caesarea
aqueducts. Below is the High Aqueduct, that was
built by Herod as part of the citys
construction, pulling water from the Shuni and
Tzabarin Brooks, 17 kilometers (11 miles) out of
the city, out of which 6 kilometers (3.5 miles)
are in an underground duct, and 400 meters (.25
miles) are in a tunnel that crossed the gravel
ridge (today buried under the village Giser Al
Zarka).
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Below the Low Aqueduct (the High Aqueduct in
the background) that was built during Byzantine
times, and pulled its water from the Crocodile
Brook (five kilometers (3.1 miles) away along the
shoreline), in a constructed and ceiled duct to
protect the waters purity. For a more elaborate
presentation and discussion of Caesarea Aqueducts
please refer to a dedicated slide show on this
site.
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Here we end our virtual photographic tour of
Caesarea.
Now you are welcome to experience Caesarea first
hand, by foot and with your own eyes
Igal Morag - morag-i_at_013.net.il
 You are invited to visit my website http//morag.
artvision.co.il
English version Hemda Arad