Ancient Israel

Roman Theater and Pilate Inscription - Caesarea

The theater was built by Herod in 22-10 BC and was the first of its kind in Israel. It was continuously maintained throughout the Roman and much of the Byzantine eras. It had (and has) a seating capacity of 3,500-4,000 and was built using many granite columns from Aswan. Originally, there was a large stage that blocked the view of the sea....

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Aqueduct of Caesarea Virtual Tour Panorama

The Aqueduct brought running water to the old city of Caesarea, along a raised aqueduct. The source of the water was the springs of Shummi, 10 KM away. Herod build the aqueduct in the 1st C BC. later, in the 2nd C AD it was expanded by the Romans. Later, 2 more aqueducts were built...

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The Citadel, Arad

View of the Iron Age Citadel looking east. The citadel is not very large, "" measuring 165 x 180 ft. [50 x 55 m.]. Above it and to the left, on the horizon, the modern city of Arad is faintly visible. Its remains consist of 12 strata "" seven of which belong to the Israelite period....

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Caesarea Maritima

Also known as "Caesarea as near Sebastos," Caesarea of Straton, Caesarea of Israel, Caesarea Palaestinae, Colonia Prima Flavia Augusta Caesariensis, Herodian Caesarea, Horvat Qesari, Kaisariyeh, Kessaria, "Metropolis of the province Syria Palaestina," Migdal Shorshon, Qaisariya, Qaisariyeh, Qaysariyah, Qesari, Qisri, Qisrin, Strato's Tower, Straton...

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Wall of Citadel, Arad

View looking west along the southern wall of the Iron Age Citadel. Note the small salients protruding from the wall "" possibly to strengthen it. This wall was in use during strata X""VII (9th through 7th centuries B...C.)....

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The Kotel - The Western Wall

Old City Jerusalem Virtual Tours - The Western Wall also called the Wailing wall, is the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, the one that was closest to the Holy of Holies when the Temple stood....

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Ma'agan Mikhael Ancient Ship

Ships are unique. A ship is a microcosm of political, economic, cultural and technological activity. Why do we deem the discovery of a ship so significant? It serves as a bridge between different cultures and peoples carrying goods, ideas and technologies. As the sea is a bridge between cultures so is the ship the means of carrying and diffusing th...

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Caesarea, Archaeology in Israel

Some scientists believe that the breakwater walls formed an intricate system of sluicing whereby the power of the sea was weakened, but how this functioned is not known yet. What seems certain is that the earthquake of 130 BCE pushed the harbour floor up, whereby the breakwaters came to lie just under the water surface. The result of this is 17 shi...

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The Roman shipwreck from Caesarea

Underwater Archaeology. In 1976, a survey team of divers from the AURI discovered the frames of a large vessel in the northern anchorage of Caesarea at a depth of 2.5 m. In 1983, the CMS headed by A. Raban excavated the wreck in collaboration with the University of Maryland, the University of Colorado and the University of Victoria. The excavations...

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Israel launches world's first underwater museum at Caesarea

The ancient port of Caesarea, along the Mediterranean coast of Israel, was inaugurated as the world's first underwater museum. It was the largest, most impressive port in the Roman Empire when it was inaugurated in 10 BCE. And some 2,016 years later, the ancient port of Caesarea - along the Mediterranean coast of Israel - was inaugurated again last...

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