Caesarea Maritima, Israel

Caesarea Maritima (Greek: Parálios Kaisáreia), also known as Caesarea Palestinae, was an ancient city in the Sharon Plain on the coast of the Mediterranean, now in ruins and included in an Israeli national park.

The city and harbour were built under Herod the Great during c. 22–10 or 9 BCE near the site of a former Phoenician naval station known as Stratonos pyrgos ("Straton's Tower"), probably named after the 4th century BCE king of Sidon, Strato I.

It later became the provincial capital of Roman Judea, Roman Syria Palaestina and Byzantine Palaestina Prima provinces.

The city was populated throughout the 1st to 6th centuries AD and became an important early centre of Christianity during the Byzantine period, but destroyed during the Muslim conquest of 640, after which it lost its importance.

After being re-fortified by the Muslims in the 11th century, it was conquered by the Crusaders, who strengthened and made it into an important port, and was finally slighted by the Mamluks in 1265.

Approaching Caesarea National Park.

Caesarea Maritima scale model seen from east to west.
The sea is at the top of the photo. The land is at the bottom of the photo. The theater is on the far left of the photo.

Caesarea Maritima scale model seen from east to west.
In the center of the photo is the temple dedicated to the goddess Roma and Emperor Augustus.

Caesarea Maritima scale model seen from west to east.
The land is at the top of the photo. The sea is at the bottom of the photo. The theater is on the far right of the photo.

The theater.

Entering the theater.

Theater interior.
Every five years, the city hosted major sports competitions, gladiator games, and theatrical productions in its theatre overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Side access to the theater.

Theater benches seen from the stage.

Walking towards the Lower Palace.

The Lower Palace.
Herod built his palace on a promontory jutting out into the sea, with a decorative pool surrounded by stoas.

The Herodian hippodrome.
The hippodrome was rebuilt in the 2nd century as a more conventional theater.

Roman bathhouse.

Mosaics.

Mithraeum.
The Mithraeum is located in one of the storage vault areas just to the north of the seaside hippodrome/circus.

There, from the first to the fourth century pagans worshiped the deity Mithra/Mithras.

Altar of the Mithraeum.
The above is a view looking at the eastern end of the Mithraeum.

The altar is visible at the far end and in the upper portion of the image is a “window” in the vault that allowed sunlight to fall on the worship center at noon on 20/21 June—the time of the summer solstice.

Walking towards the church.

Byzantine martyrion church.
The main Byzantine church, an octagonal martyrion, was built in the 6th century and sited directly upon the podium that had supported Herod's temple, as was a widespread Christian practice.

The martyrion was richly paved and surrounded by small radiating enclosures.
Archaeologists have recovered some foliate capitals that included representations of the Cross.
The site would in time be re-occupied, this time by a mosque.

Caesarea Harbor.

Caesarea Nymphaeum.
The nymphaeum was the public fountain that stood at the center of ancient Caesarea as one of the city's main monuments, and was situated at the intersection where the city's main street meets the Herodian port.

Walking towards the wall gate.
In 1251, Louis IX of France fortified the city, ordering the construction of high walls (parts of which are still standing) and a deep moat.