Ancient city on the Mediterranean coast of Palestine, capital of the Roman province of Judea for about 600 years. To distinguish it from other cities of the same name and founded at the same time, it was also called Caesarea Maritima, Caesarea Palaestina.
In the middle of the 3rd century B.C., the Phoenicians built a small fortified anchorage on the site which they called Straton's Tower (Straton being the Greek form of Abdashtart, the name of a Sidonian king). In around 100 B.C. it was captured by the Hasmonean Alexander Janneus, and its first Jewish community was founded. After the Roman General Pompey conquered Palestine in 63 B.C. Straton's Tower became a non-Jewish city. Emperor Augustus returned it to Herod who built there an entirely new city in honor of the Emperor between 22 and 10/9 B.C., with a temple to Roma and Augustus, a theatre and amphitheatre, a royal palace, markets and streets, and a harbor with a tower named Drusion. This city became the seat of the Roman procurators of the province of Judea and also served as the headquarters of the Roman legions stationed in the province. Most of its inhabitants were Syrian Greeks but there was also a considerable and economically strong Jewish community. Caesarea became the country's principal port and is mentioned in this connection in the Acts of the Apostles (9:30; 18:22; 21:8). It was reached by Philip the Evangelist and here Peter preached to Gentile listeners in the home of the centurion, Cornelius. Paul passed through Caesarea (Acts 18:22) and disciples from the city joined him on his journey to Jerusalem (Acts 21:16). As the residence of the Procurator, it was the scene of Paul's trial (Acts 23:23 ff). He was imprisoned there for two years (Acts 24:27), and from there he was taken in chains to Rome (Acts 27:1). Subsequently Caesarea was a famous church center and in the 3rd-4th centuries, the Church Fathers, Origen and Eusebius, taught in its school with its noted library. Out of this library came the edition of the Bible known as the Hexapla. Jerome says he saw the Hebrew original of Matthew's gospel there.
Extensive excavations since the 1950's and more recently in the 1990s have uncovered much of the ancient city. From Herodian times, the remains of the harbor have been examined, partly through underwater explorations. The finds from the Roman period include the temple of Augustus, a remarkably preserved theater (which has been restored and used for modern performances); an amphitheatre extending parallel to the coastline, a praetorium complex, the city wall, hippodrome and a paved square with impressive statues. Shops and a bathhouse were unearthed from the Byzantine period. Remains of a synagogue and churches have also been uncovered and the many inscriptions include the first known contemporary references to Pontius Pilate and to Nazareth
Concordance
Acts 8:40; 9:30; 10:1, 24; 11:11; 12:19; 18:22; 21:8,16; 23:23; 25:1, 4, 6, 13
