For some reason I'm not able to upload any pictures to this blog, I keep getting error messages. Yall will just have to do without pictures this time...but trust me, I have great pics of this place!
The day after the trip to Jerusalem I had the option to go on an extra trip to Caesarea. I elected to go, I mean, when would I get this chance again. I've very glad I went! Caesarea might be the most beautiful of the sites I've seen yet in Israel.
This place was important for me to see because it was in this very town that so many pivotal events in the history of Christianity happened! It was here, in Caesarea, that Pontius Pilot resided and this is where the stone with an inscription of his name was found, the first testament to the man outside of the Biblical accounts.
It was also at Caesarea that the first gentile (that's all of you reading this post unless you happen to be Jewish) converted to Christianity. I am referring, of course, to the conversion of Cornelius who was a Roman Centurion stationed at Caesarea and had the Holy Spirit pour out on him there and he was baptized!
It was at Caesarea that the Apostle Paul set out on mission trips from, including maybe his greatest mission trip, as a prisoner being taken to Caesar to appeal his case there. That's right it from this very harbor that Paul left for Rome.
Caesarea is also the site of the first ever attempt at a Christian history by the bishop of the city, Eusebius of Caesarea, in the 4th century when he became dismayed that there was no history of the faith.
I'm simply in awe of the history that has taken place at this beautiful site on the Mediterranean coast. Awestruck is a good description of how I felt while going through there.
Extra Info about Caesarea:
It was during Persian rule (586 -- 332 BC) that the Phoenicians built a settlement on the shoreline of one of the bays on the coast where they found the ground water level was high enough to use. The village was apart of what is called Dor county and it flourished in the Hellenistic period (332 - 37 BC) and it is first mentioned in the Zenon papyri (a document from 259 BC) under the name of Straton's Tower.
It was in 103 BC that Dor and Straton's Tower were conquered by Alexander Jannaeus and annexed by the Hasmonean Kingdom, it was torn away from the Hasmoneans after the Roman conquest. Herod was awarded the village in 30 BC and he ruled from 37 - 4 BC. He turned the village into a large port city and named it Caesarea in honor of his patron Octavian Augustus Caesar.
The city was intricately planned and featured a network of crisscrossing roads, a temple, theatre, amphitheatre, markets, and residential quarters. It took 12 years to build and great festivities were held at it's completion. The city was transformed rapidly into a great commercial centre and by the year 6 BC it became the headquarters of the Roman government in Palestine (hence why Pontius Pilate lived here for most of his time in Israel).
There was a high level aqueduct that brought water from the Shuni springs about 7.5 KM northeast of Caesarea, and was the primary water source. You can still see, which I did, the aqueducts that run down the coast and beach area to this day. Jews and Gentiles lived in the city but conflicts b/w the two were one of the important causes of the Great Revolt that erupted 66. Caesarea served as the base of operations for the Roman legions that dealt with the revolt and it was at Caesarea that general Vespasian was declared Caesar. It was granted the status of "colony" and after the fall and destruction of Jerusalem, became the most important city in the country.
During the Byzantine period (324 - 638 AD) the city flourished and extended some 400 acres. A perimeter wall was built in the 6th century and made Caesarea the largest fortified city in the country. After the Arab conquest in 640 AD, Caesarea lost its political and economic significance. Most of its people left the city and it became a small forsaken village. Only in the 9th century, with the development of sea-trade and the recovery of coastal cities, was Caesarea refortified. It was conquered by the Crusaders on May 17th 1101, and ruled by the Knights of Garnier. In 1251, during the crusade of King Louis IX (the same King Louis that the city of St. Louis, Missouri is named after), Caesarea was fortified anew with impressive intensity (believe me, the walls of the Crusader city ARE impressive). In 1265 it was conquered by the Mamelukes led by Baybars, and was destroyed and deserted. Its ruins became a source of lime and building stones for the region. It remained desolate until the 19th century, when the Ottoman authorities settled Bosnian refugees here. The destroyed Crusader fortress was renovated and became the administrative centre, with new houses built on ruins. After 1917, the city was in control of the British until the modern state of Israel was founded in 1948.
The day after the trip to Jerusalem I had the option to go on an extra trip to Caesarea. I elected to go, I mean, when would I get this chance again. I've very glad I went! Caesarea might be the most beautiful of the sites I've seen yet in Israel.
This place was important for me to see because it was in this very town that so many pivotal events in the history of Christianity happened! It was here, in Caesarea, that Pontius Pilot resided and this is where the stone with an inscription of his name was found, the first testament to the man outside of the Biblical accounts.
It was also at Caesarea that the first gentile (that's all of you reading this post unless you happen to be Jewish) converted to Christianity. I am referring, of course, to the conversion of Cornelius who was a Roman Centurion stationed at Caesarea and had the Holy Spirit pour out on him there and he was baptized!
It was at Caesarea that the Apostle Paul set out on mission trips from, including maybe his greatest mission trip, as a prisoner being taken to Caesar to appeal his case there. That's right it from this very harbor that Paul left for Rome.
Caesarea is also the site of the first ever attempt at a Christian history by the bishop of the city, Eusebius of Caesarea, in the 4th century when he became dismayed that there was no history of the faith.
I'm simply in awe of the history that has taken place at this beautiful site on the Mediterranean coast. Awestruck is a good description of how I felt while going through there.
Extra Info about Caesarea:
It was during Persian rule (586 -- 332 BC) that the Phoenicians built a settlement on the shoreline of one of the bays on the coast where they found the ground water level was high enough to use. The village was apart of what is called Dor county and it flourished in the Hellenistic period (332 - 37 BC) and it is first mentioned in the Zenon papyri (a document from 259 BC) under the name of Straton's Tower.
It was in 103 BC that Dor and Straton's Tower were conquered by Alexander Jannaeus and annexed by the Hasmonean Kingdom, it was torn away from the Hasmoneans after the Roman conquest. Herod was awarded the village in 30 BC and he ruled from 37 - 4 BC. He turned the village into a large port city and named it Caesarea in honor of his patron Octavian Augustus Caesar.
The city was intricately planned and featured a network of crisscrossing roads, a temple, theatre, amphitheatre, markets, and residential quarters. It took 12 years to build and great festivities were held at it's completion. The city was transformed rapidly into a great commercial centre and by the year 6 BC it became the headquarters of the Roman government in Palestine (hence why Pontius Pilate lived here for most of his time in Israel).
There was a high level aqueduct that brought water from the Shuni springs about 7.5 KM northeast of Caesarea, and was the primary water source. You can still see, which I did, the aqueducts that run down the coast and beach area to this day. Jews and Gentiles lived in the city but conflicts b/w the two were one of the important causes of the Great Revolt that erupted 66. Caesarea served as the base of operations for the Roman legions that dealt with the revolt and it was at Caesarea that general Vespasian was declared Caesar. It was granted the status of "colony" and after the fall and destruction of Jerusalem, became the most important city in the country.
During the Byzantine period (324 - 638 AD) the city flourished and extended some 400 acres. A perimeter wall was built in the 6th century and made Caesarea the largest fortified city in the country. After the Arab conquest in 640 AD, Caesarea lost its political and economic significance. Most of its people left the city and it became a small forsaken village. Only in the 9th century, with the development of sea-trade and the recovery of coastal cities, was Caesarea refortified. It was conquered by the Crusaders on May 17th 1101, and ruled by the Knights of Garnier. In 1251, during the crusade of King Louis IX (the same King Louis that the city of St. Louis, Missouri is named after), Caesarea was fortified anew with impressive intensity (believe me, the walls of the Crusader city ARE impressive). In 1265 it was conquered by the Mamelukes led by Baybars, and was destroyed and deserted. Its ruins became a source of lime and building stones for the region. It remained desolate until the 19th century, when the Ottoman authorities settled Bosnian refugees here. The destroyed Crusader fortress was renovated and became the administrative centre, with new houses built on ruins. After 1917, the city was in control of the British until the modern state of Israel was founded in 1948.
you could have emailed me that you were unable to upload pictures, or told Dr. Schuler. I think I can fix that for you....and make sure that your pics are small enough to upload and in the right format...
All of your information makes me want to see and visit Cesarea!!! I look forward to the pictures whenever I get to see them!
So your technology was "down" (unable to load your pictures) BUT my remote work technology was finally UP all afternoon!!!! THANK YOU to the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...who also rules fiber optic & sound waves! Thanks for praying, son!
Oh yes, Grandma Mac is convinced she was probably in the midst of praying for you as you were falling off that wall...and she probably really was! Amen! Amen!
Yup... history nerd... haha that's ok there are worse things you could be a nerd of :P I'm glad you enjoyed your trip to Caesarea's Pizza.. I hope it fared better with you than the lamb burger :D