Day Three Caesarea

We drove up to Caesarea today. I do not like riding in a car in Israel, all the drivers are CRAZY including the one driving our car…. Oh, that is Darrel. Oops, I will be ready for my big van and Springtown traffic when I get home. Although the people here are very friendly, they all honk to tell you hello and in case you didn’t hear it the first five times they will honk again. Very Friendly.
During Jesus’ lifetime and well into the New Testament stage of Bible History, Caesarea was a major Roman political center in occupied Israel. It is located on the shore of The Mediterranean Sea, on the road from Egypt to Tyre, about 75 miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was built between 25 to 13 B.C. by Herod The Great, who named it after Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor most famous for ordering the census (Luke 2:1) that resulted in Joseph and Mary traveling down from Nazareth to Bethlehem where The Savior was born.

It was originally established as an anchorage by Sidonian king Abdashtart in the 4th century B.C., when it became known as "Strato's Tower." The Hasmoneans took possession of it in 96 B.C., however Pompey brought it under Roman rule in 63 B.C.

Mark Antony presented the city to Cleopatra, however when Octavian (later known as Caesar Augustus) defeated Antony at Actium, it was put under the control of Herod who built it up and renamed it after the Caesar. It then became the capital of the Roman province of Judea, the headquarters for the procurators (governors) and the Roman troops.

Caesarea is mentioned frequently in New Testament events:

* Peter first took the message of the Gospel to Gentiles at Caesarea, while in the house of Cornelius, the centurion in what was known as the "Italian Regiment" (Acts 10:1-48). While there, as Cornelius was about to bow down to Peter, the apostle made it clear than he was merely a servant of The Lord, like the rest. (Acts 10:26)

* Philip the evangelist lived in Caesarea with his four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9).

Not long after his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul sailed from Caesarea to his native Tarsus (Acts 9:30). He passed through the city during his second and third missionary journeys. Later, he was held prisoner in the city for two years (Acts 24:1,27), where he was put on trial (Acts 23:31-26:32) before his voyage to Rome.

It was at Caesarea that Herod Agrippa I was struck down by God for his idolatrous blasphemy (Acts 12:19-23) Neat story, you should read it.

Today, the site of Caesarea is still known by its ancient name, Kaiseriyeh, but there are only ruins remaining.

It is a beautiful port city or should I say it was as you can tell from the ruins. It was…thought provoking to walk into and around the hippodrome, the place where many Christians were tortured and killed as part of the ‘games’. We went to King Herods Palace, to the governors palace where Pontius Pilot would have lived when he ‘washed his hands’ of the crime against Jesus of Nazareth. We chased a huge lizard through some of the ruins, walked on top of some of the walls. Wanted to get our feet into Herod’s pool but they had it chained off, though locals were on the other side fishing and swimming and having a good time. I did however go down to the seaside and get my feet wet in the tide at the foot of where the pool was and picked up some seashells for the kids. For lunch we had lamb chops, grilled chicken, hummus and mint lemonade. It was wonderful. The day was extremely hot and we walked several miles climbing up and down on the ruins, we had a great time together, learning history and walking where those who penned the Bible walked. We went through the amphitheater and were amazed by the incredible marble and granite work in the columns and buildings.