Bet Guvrin in Wikipedia

Beit Guvrin National Park is located in central Israel. Beit Guvrin is an ancient site that has been mentioned in many parts of history. It is also a beautiful place filled with nature where the ancient and modern meet in harmony. Geography Flowers - Beit Guvrin is famous for its flowers and has a vast collection of anemones- a perennial herb. Its leaves grow from the base and can be simple, compound, or attached with a leaf stalk. In Beit Guvrin anemones can be found in many colors: red, pink, purple, blue, white, orange, and more. While walking around the park you will also see: primroses, marigold, asphodel, and more. Climate - Bet Guvrin has a temperate climate typical of central Israel: warm in the spring and hot in the summer; cool in the fall and fairly cold in the winter. While hiking there in the summer, you might get hot but the caves are cool. Bet Guvrin's caves are good to visit year round but Beit Guvrin is best to visit when its flowers are blooming. History - Beit Guvrin was mentioned as a town throughout history. Hellenistic period - The Hellenistic period began at 323 BC with the death of Alexander the Great. The Hellenistic culture was mixed with other cultures Alexander conquered - among them was cnaanites The Hellenistic period ended with start of the Christian Era in 146 BC. During the Hellenistic period the people living in Beit Guvrin habitually interred their dead in niches within gabled burial cave. Roman Empire - see'Roman Empire--------- "The City of Liberty" or "Eleutheropolis" is what Roman Emperor Septimius Severus called Beit Guvrin. Archeologists have uncovered many findings in this ancient Roman city. Among them is an amphitheater- the most obvious example of Roman culture. The Jews were hostile to the Roman regime, and the following years witnessed frequent insurrections. A last attempt to restore the former glory of the Hasmonean dynasty was made by Mattathias Antigonus, whose defeat and death brought Hasmonean rule to an end, and the land became a province of the Roman Empire. In 37 BCE, Herod, a son-in-law of Hyrcanus II, was appointed King of Judea by the Romans. Granted almost unlimited autonomy in the country's internal affairs, he became one of the most powerful monarchs in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. Herod didn't succeed in winnning the trust and support of his Jewish subjects. Ten years after Herod's death in 4 BC, Judea came under direct Roman administration. Growing anger against increased Roman suppression of Jewish life resulted in sporadic violence which escalated into a full-scale revolt in 66 CE. Superior Roman forces led by Titus were finally victorious, razing Jerusalem to the ground in 70 CE, destroying the second temple, and defeating the last Jewish outpost at Masada. The caves near Beit Guvrin were used by the rebels...