Caesarea (Roman City, Caesarea Maritima, Caesarea Palestinae) Meaning and Usage Caesarea is a Roman city mentioned several times within the New Testament scripture. The city was build approximately 20 to 10 BC by Herod the Great and named Caesarea as a tribute to Caesar Augustus. The city was on the coast of Galilee and Samaria in modern day Israel. Herod the great was known for his construction projects and Caesarea was no exception. Herod built a manmade harbor which helped make Caesarea into a major seaport for the Romans. The city is located on the coast of the Mediterranean ocean approximately fifty miles northwest of Jerusalem. The city also went by the names of Caesarea Maritima and Caesarea Palestinae. The city was built on the site of an earlier Phoenician town called Stratos Tower. Herod the Great also constructed a theater with a seating capacity of 3,500. The theater was covered with animal skins called vellum which acted as a shade, and visitors probably brought cushions with them to soften the stone seats. Herod the Great also built a large aqueduct to bring water from springs at the base of Mount Carmel nearly ten miles away to the city because of the lack of fresh water. According to Josephus and the Bible, this is where the death of Herod Agrippa occurred, as recounted in Acts chapter twelve. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the kings personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the kings country. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, The voice of a god and not of a man Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. (Book of Acts 12:19-23)
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:17:38 +0000
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