Day 1: Caesarea Maritima

32.501, 34.891

Caesarea Maritima was built by Herod the Great in honor of his patron, Augustus Caesar. Construction began in 22 BCE and the city finished 12 years later included palaces, temples, a hippodrome, a marketplace, and water/sewage systems. The artificial harbor was built using hydraulic concrete made from volcanic ash - a remarkable technical feat for the era.

An earthquake severely damaged the harbor in 130 CE, although the city remained a significant commercial center for many more centuries. The city first came under Muslim control in 638, was captured during the First Crusade in 1101 and exchanged hands periodically thereafter. Much of the fortification seen our visit was built by King Louis IX of France in 1251, just before the Crusaders were expelled for the last time in 1265. The city gradually fell into total ruin and the port filled with silt - ironically preserving much of the architecture until it was excavated by contemporary archaeologists beginning in the 1950's.

The city makes a number of appearances in the Christian Bible in the book of Acts:

This city should not be confused with Caesarea Philippi, which is mentioned as being visited Jesus' in the synoptic gospels (Matthew 16:13–20 and Mark 8:27–30) and was located far to the east at the food of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights.

05/23/2011 12:19:40
Caeserea map
05/23/2011 10:26:52
Disembarking at Caesarea
05/23/2011 10:26:56
Entry gate
05/23/2011 10:32:06
Theatre
05/23/2011 10:39:10
Theatre
05/23/2011 10:47:34
Decapitated statues
05/23/2011 10:48:04
Statues
05/23/2011 10:48:14
Statues
05/23/2011 10:49:32
Theatre
05/23/2011 10:50:06
Theatre
05/23/2011 10:50:32
Theatre sign
05/23/2011 10:50:50
Theatre sign
05/23/2011 10:51:14
Theatre
05/23/2011 10:51:20
Theatre
05/23/2011 10:52:06
Vomitorium
05/23/2011 10:52:40
Contemporary stage
05/23/2011 10:53:24
Seating
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Seating area
05/23/2011 10:54:36
Seating
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Seating
05/23/2011 10:58:36
Archway
05/23/2011 10:59:44
Exit stage left
05/23/2011 11:00:10
Exit
05/23/2011 11:00:14
Theatre
05/23/2011 11:07:52
Back of theatre
05/23/2011 11:00:26
Architectural remnants
05/23/2011 11:00:32
Bath
05/23/2011 11:00:54
Remnants sign
05/23/2011 11:01:00
Cornice remnant
05/23/2011 11:02:12
Architectural remnants
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Elements diagram
05/23/2011 11:03:52
Theatre diagram
05/23/2011 11:04:24
Column capitals
05/23/2011 11:04:32
Column capitals
05/23/2011 11:04:46
Column capitals
05/23/2011 11:07:56
Column capitals
05/23/2011 11:05:32
Sarcophogus
05/23/2011 11:08:20
Sarcophogus
05/23/2011 11:08:34
Sarcophagi sign
05/23/2011 11:09:48
Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:15:08
Me and Mom at Caesarea
05/23/2011 11:17:26
Dedicatory inscription replica
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Dedicatory inscription sign
05/23/2011 11:16:28
Cistern sign
05/23/2011 11:22:06
Well
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Well
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Well sign
05/23/2011 11:22:58
Harbor remnants
05/23/2011 11:16:58
Praetorium
05/23/2011 11:23:50
Praetorium
05/23/2011 11:24:14
Appeal to Caeser
05/23/2011 11:28:52
Praetorium sign
05/23/2011 11:28:58
Entrance complex rendering
05/23/2011 11:29:22
Compound history
05/23/2011 11:29:32
Compound diagram
05/23/2011 11:29:44
South entry to Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:30:08
Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:30:12
Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:30:28
Hippodrome sign
05/23/2011 11:31:04
Hippodrome Meta Prima
05/23/2011 11:31:24
Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:31:40
Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:32:20
Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:34:30
Lost western edge of hippodrome
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Palace rendering
05/23/2011 11:35:56
Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:36:26
Hippodrome
05/23/2011 11:36:48
Clear Mediterranean waters
05/23/2011 11:37:40
Looking north
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Palace vaults
05/23/2011 11:39:22
Palace vaults
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Palace vaults sign
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Mosaics
05/23/2011 11:40:02
Mosaics
05/23/2011 11:40:16
Palace vaults
05/23/2011 11:40:28
Bird of prey
05/23/2011 11:40:48
Mithraeum sign
05/23/2011 11:40:54
Mithraeum
05/23/2011 11:41:12
Palace bath sign
05/23/2011 11:41:06
Palace bath
05/23/2011 11:41:22
Palace bath
05/23/2011 11:41:30
Crusader era fortress
05/23/2011 11:41:44
Crusader era fortress walls
05/23/2011 11:42:04
Fortress walls
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Fortress walls
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Plaza
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Fortress walls
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Archway
05/23/2011 11:42:56
Caeserea history sign
05/23/2011 11:43:12
Artist's quarter
05/23/2011 11:43:34
Temple dais
05/23/2011 11:43:58
Temple dais
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Temple dais
05/23/2011 11:45:30
Harbor
05/23/2011 12:01:24
Harbor
05/23/2011 12:05:44
Sarcophogi
05/23/2011 12:06:42
Sarcophogi
05/23/2011 12:06:56
Sarcophogi
05/23/2011 12:07:06
Sarcophogi
05/23/2011 12:07:12
Sarcophogi
05/23/2011 12:07:32
Sarcophogi
05/23/2011 12:07:36
Sarcophogi
05/23/2011 12:07:42
Cornice remnant
05/23/2011 12:08:16
Caeserea
05/23/2011 12:08:30
Herod's Harbor
05/23/2011 12:08:44
Caeserea
05/23/2011 12:09:16
Nymphaeum
05/23/2011 12:12:22
Nymphaeum
05/23/2011 12:12:56
Seeking shade
05/23/2011 12:17:14
Special tree?
05/23/2011 12:17:30
Tree?
05/23/2011 12:18:06
Tree?
05/23/2011 12:18:02
Path to Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:18:46
Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:18:56
Path to Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:19:48
Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:20:08
Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:20:18
Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:20:30
Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:20:36
Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:20:46
Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:21:12
Crusader gate
05/23/2011 12:21:30
Moat
05/23/2011 12:21:36
Caeserea history sign
05/23/2011 12:21:42
Gate sign
05/23/2011 12:22:02
Moat
05/23/2011 12:22:22
Moat bridge
05/23/2011 12:23:38
Moat bridge
05/23/2011 12:23:06
Entry
05/23/2011 12:26:08
Returning to the bus
05/23/2011 10:18:06
Orot Rabin Power plant in Caesarea (2.5 GW)
05/23/2011 10:20:02
Power plant
05/23/2011 12:35:48
Power plant

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