Caesarea

Caesarea was the capital of the Land of Israel for over six centuries. King Herod’s brilliant idea to build a port and city that could serve the hundreds of ships that delivered grain from Alexandria to Rome turned Caesarea into the bustling economic engine of the country. Most of the ancient site, which had over 100,000 inhabitants at its peak, has not been excavated. Its houses and streets are buried in the sands and under the fields and houses of Kibbutz Sdot Yam and modern Caesarea. However, its main buildings, the extensive public facilities, parts of the port, and more have been excavated and researched for the past 73 years, the latest project being the renovation of the harbor area by the Rothschild Foundation.

ERETZ published its first guide to Caesarea, commissioned by the Israel Parks Authority, thirty years ago. Since then, it has been updated dozens of times and is still on sale. However, much has changed since the first edition, and it is time for another in-depth look at the archaeological discoveries, the famous figures who lived in Caesarea, the Jewish, Samaritan, and Christian communities, and the important historical events that took place throughout its history.

Caesarea and Jerusalem said the sages of the Mishnah can not coexist. Indeed, it was only after the destruction of Jerusalem that its wealthy nemesis on the shores of the Mediterranean blossomed. The tension between the inward-looking city on the mountain and the outward-looking metropolis on the coast is a narrative still very much alive.

The ERETZ issue on Caesarea, part of our Israel Series, will include a magazine, an extended visitors’ guide, and a chronological map. The limited-edition issue will be published at the beginning of July. Now is the time to order your copy and be among the first to receive ERETZ Magazines Caesarea Queen of the Sea.