Caesarea is probably one of the most famous ancient cities of Israel, apart from Jerusalem.
It was founded around the year 22 BCE* by Herod the Great, and named in honor of Caesar Augustus.

Due to the great port built by Herod, the town becomes one of the hubs of the country. It remains one of the main port cities until its final destruction by the Mamelukes in the late 13th century.

From the creation of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority in its various developments, Caesarea has been one of the most visited sites.

Parts of the ancient Roman city have been partly reconstructed, especially the theater, which is used every summer as one of the most spectacular outdoor stages for all the performing arts.

When you visit Caesarea allow yourself good time, not just to walk the city, but also to see the Caesarea Experience, where the virtual movie will take you back to Herod’s Dream, but where you can also ask questions of 12 historical figures associated with Caesarea, such as Herod, Pontius Pilate, Queen Helena and Hanna Shenesh.

*BCE – Before Common Era. CE – Common Era

Join me in a brief movie through Ceasarea

Brief Historical Outline of Caesarea

2nd century BCE
First settlement, Strato’s Tower, small Sidonian village

22 BCE

Caesar Augustus

Founded by Herod the Great (ruled 37-4 BCE), named in honor of the Roman Emporer Caesar Augustus. The town is centered around a deep sea port, Sebastia, the second largest port in the Roman Empire. Around this were built storerooms, market places, imposing public buildings, bath housesa theatre, a hippodrome, temples to Rome and Augustus, as well as Herod’s own palace, and housing for the ordinary citizens.

6 CE
Judea comes under direct Roman rule, and Caesarea becomes the capital of Judea. The Roman governor had his residence here. The first to be verified as such is Pontius Pilate (26-36 CE), on a dedication stone carrying his name, found in the Roman theatre during excavations.

Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, is the first gentile to be converted to Christianity by Peter. Paul is kept in house arrest here, before sailing to Rome and his trial.

66 CE
A strife breaks out between the Jewish and Syrian communities of Caeserea, which includes the desecration of the Jewish synagogue. The becomes one of the contributary causes of the First Jewish Rebellion against Rome (66-70 BC).

After the rebellion the town continues to thrive as one of the foremost maritime towns of the area and the Roman empire.

3rd-6th century
Early Christian scholars and church fathers, such as Origen, establish study centers. Eusebius (260-340) becomes the first Bishop of Caesarea.

From 324, with the acceptance of Christianity as a religion within the Roman Empire, by Emperor Constantine the Great, Caesarea becomes an

Constantine the Great , Hagia Sophia Mosaic

important venue for pilgrims arriving to the Holy Land or departing.

Due to the shifting of the sea bed and earthquakes, the port has begun to disintegrate, but is still big and important trading point.

636
Palestine and Caesarea are conquered by the Arabs. Due to its continued disintegration, the town loses its splendor and declines.

1101-1291
The town falls to the Crusaders, who build a large fortress over and around the ruins of the harbor. Caesarea becomes an

Crusader Knight

important town for the Crusaders in maintaining contact with Europe. 1187 – Following the Crusader defeat at the Horns of Hittin, Caesarea is taken by Salah E-din, who
proceeds to demolish its fortifications.

1219 – Retaken by the Crusaders, who start to refortify the town. This is completed by Louis IX of France in 1251. 1291 – The town falls for the last time, this time to the Mameluke Sultan Baybars, who proceeds to completely demolish the town.

Caesarea and the whole coastal plain lies desolate and unused for almost 500 years.

1878
The Turks allows a small group of refugees from Bosnia to settle within the ruins of Caesarea. They rebuild some of the buildings as well as the mosque and its minaret, one of the landmarks in modern Caesarea.

20th Century
Large areas of land around Caesarea was in private ownership of the Rothschild family. With the establishement of the State of Israel these areas come under the development of the The Caesarea Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Foundation, to which was later added the Development Corporation Ltd.

Many archaeological excavations of ancient Caesarea, as well an reconstruction and reuse of certain part.

More information:
Caesarea Official Tourist Site
Caesarea Development Corporation

But on this occasion I did. The tourist I was guiding was visiting the Western Wall Tunnel, in a group guided by the Tunnels own guides. This gave me time to walk the streets alone, take some photos, but most of all to sit in my cafe.

The reason I love sitting there is that to me this street and this point is typical of the Old City and of Jerusalem. To me Jerusalem is not, never has been, and never will be, what is shown on the media throughout the world. Like with so many other things that the media reports about, it has a hard time showing every day life, the life that the residents of Jerusalem experience. This is why I like to sit in my cafe and look at who passes by.

Now I should also tell you that the Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four quarters – the Muslim Quarter, Christian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter and the Armenian Quarter. Don’t get me wrong. There are no boundaries in the City. They are more neighborhoods of the Old City.
Just like any modern city may have its China Town, or Little Italy, or whatever other name. People like to live with other people of their own kind. There is nothing political about these neighborhoods, and they spill over into each other, and that trend is growing.

My cafe is in the heart of the Muslim Quarter, across the street from The Third Station of The Cross. It is on one of the main thoroughfares in the Old City, which starts at The Damascus Gate in the north. A short stretch of the Via Dolorosa is part of this street. Eventually it spills into the Western Wall Plaza and ends the Dung Gate in the south.

If you sit there long enough, you will be able to see the whole world pass by. Catholic priests, Orthodox Jews, Arab women dressed in their modest clothes, ordinary non-religious Israelis passing the day in the Old City, tourists in various levels of dress codes. You will see devout Catholic groups making their way along the Via Dolorosa toward the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, carrying a cross in turns, stopping at each station to say the appropriate prayer at each station. You will see less traditional Christian groups receive explanations from their guide as to the events that took place here.

You will see local Arabs going about their business, or on their way to Temple Mount for prayers. You will see people from most of the Western countries, Europe, USA, Canada, as well as visitors from Japan, Taiwan or Korea. At certain times of the year you will see groups from Nigeria. In short you can see the whole world pass you by.

If you look down on the paving stones between the Cafe and the Third Station, you will see very large paving stones that were found some 40 years ago, when work was being done on the water and sewage systems in the Old City. These paving stones date back to the 5th century Byzantine Jerusalem.

And while you are watching all of this hub, you may be drinking cups of hot, bitter, sweet Arab coffee, a cold soda, or a refreshing glass of tea with mint. If you happen to be there, when it is lunch time, this cafe probably sells the best pizza in the bazaars of the Old City of Jerusalem.