Difference between revisions of "Caesarea"

<p> (Καισάρεια or Καισάρεια Σεβαστή, named in honour of Augustus; known also as <i> [[Caesarea]] Palaestinae </i> , and in modern Arabic as <i> el-Kaiṣârîyeh </i> ; to be distinguished clearly from <i> Caesarea [[Philippi]] </i> ) </p> <p> Caesarea was situated on the [[Mediterranean]] coast, 32 miles N. of Joppa, 25 S. of Carmel, and 75 N.W. of Jerusalem. It was once the chief port of Palestine. It was rebuilt by [[Herod]] the Great on the site of ‘Straton’s Tower’ (Jos. <i> Ant </i> . xv. ix. 6). The city is closely associated with the history of the [[Apostolic]] Church, being especially notable as the place where the [[Holy]] Spirit was poured out upon the [[Gentiles]] (Acts 10:45). The name occurs in Acts only. [[Philip]] the deacon seems to have resided at Caesarea (Acts 8:40; Acts 21:8; Acts 21:16). St. Paul was sent hence to [[Tarsus]] (Acts 9:30). Cornelius, a [[Roman]] centurion, influenced by a vision to send to [[Joppa]] for St. Peter, here became the first convert of the Gentiles (Acts 10:1; Acts 10:24; Acts 11:11). Here Herod [[Agrippa]] I. died (Acts 12:19). Here St. Paul landed on his way from [[Ephesus]] (Acts 18:22), being later escorted hither on his return from [[Jerusalem]] (Acts 23:23; Acts 23:33), and here he was imprisoned for two years, and tried before [[Festus]] (Acts 25:1; Acts 25:4; Acts 25:6; Acts 25:13). </p> <p> In apostolic times Caesarea was politically the capital of the province of [[Judaea]] , and the residence of the Roman procurators. Tacitus describes it as ‘the head of Judaea ’ ( <i> Hist </i> . ii. 78). Among its inhabitants there were both [[Jews]] and Greeks. The city was elaborately beautified with temples, theatres, palaces, arches, and altars. It was especially famous for its harbour (Jos. <i> Ant </i> . xv. ix. 6). [[Aqueducts]] supplied the inhabitants with water from [[Carmel]] and the [[Crocodile]] [[River.]] In the 3rd cent. a.d., it became the seat of a famous school of theology, in which [[Origen]] taught; also of the bishopric of Syria, [[Eusebius]] being the most celebrated of these occupying the office. Under the Arabs it unfortunately lost its former prestige and rapidly degenerated. At the time of the [[Crusades]] it was rebuilt by [[Baldwin]] ii. [[Saladin]] took it in 1187. In 1251 it was re-fortified by St. Louis. Finally, in 1265, it was completely destroyed by the [[Sultan]] Bibars, since whose time it has remained in ruins. </p> <p> Little is now left to mark the ancient city. Porter, writing in 1865, says: ‘I saw no man. The [[Arab]] and the shepherd avoid the spot’ ( <i> [[Giant]] Cities </i> , 235). Thomson also ( <i> Land and Book </i> , i. 72) speaks of it as ‘absolutely forsaken.’ Since 1889, however, a few Bosnians have settled among the ruins and carried on a small trade in brick. Most of the stones of the ancient city were used by Ibrahim [[Pasha]] in constructing the new fortifications at Acre. To the missionary, Caesarea is one of the most interesting spots on earth, having been the cradle of the [[Gentile]] Church. </p> <p> Literature.-Josephus, <i> Ant </i> . xiv. iv. 4, xvii. xi. 4, <i> Bellum Judaicum (Josephus) </i> i. xxi. 5, ii. ix. 1; G. A. Smith, <i> [[Historical]] [[Geography]] of the Holy Land (G. A. Smith) </i> 138ff., article‘Caesarea’ in <i> Encyclopaedia Biblica </i> , i. 617; C. R. Conder, article‘Caesarea’ in <i> Hasting's Dictionary of the [[Bible]] (5 vols) </i> , i. 337, <i> [[Tent]] Work in [[Palestine]] </i> , new ed., 1887, pp. 107-110; Schürer, <i> History of the [[Jewish]] People (Eng. tr. of GJV).] </i> , index, <i> s.v. </i> ; <i> SWP </i> [Note: WP Memoirs of Survey of Western Palestine.]ii. [1882], sheet x.; Baedeker, <i> Palestine and [[Syria]] </i> 5, 1912, p. 237ff.; A. Neubauer, <i> Géog. du [[Talmud]] </i> , 1868; G. Le Strange, <i> Palestine under the [[Moslems]] </i> , 1890, p. 474; H. B. Tristram, <i> Bible places </i> , 1897, p. 75; J. L. Porter, <i> The Giant Cities of [[Bashan]] </i> , 1873, p. 233ff.; W. M. Thomson, <i> The Land and the Book </i> , 1881, i. 69ff.; W. Smith, <i> Dict. of the Bible </i> 2, article‘Caesarea.’ </p> <p> [[George]] L. Robinson. </p>

<p> '''''ses''''' -'''''a''''' -'''''rē´a''''' , '''''sē''''' -'''''za''''' -'''''rē´a''''' ( Καισαρεία , <i> '''''Kaisareı́a''''' </i> ): </p> <p> (1) Caesarea Palestina (pal-es-ti'na). The ancient name in the Arabic form <i> '''''Ḳaisarı̄yeh''''' </i> still clings to the ruins on the sea shore, about 30 miles North of Jaffa. It was built by Herod the Great on the site of Strato's Tower ( <i> Ant. </i> , Xiii , xi, 2; XV, ix, 6), and the name Caesarea Sebaste was given it in honor of Augustus (ibid., Xvi , v, 1). With his usual magnificence Herod lavished adornments on the city. He erected sumptuous palaces and public buildings, a theater, and amphitheater with prospect to the sea; while a spacious system of sewers under the city secured cleanliness and health. But "the greatest and most laborious work of all" was a magnificent harbor "always free from the waves of the sea," which Josephus says was not less than the Piraeus: this however is an exaggeration. It was of excellent workmanship, and all the more remarkable because the place itself was not suitable for such noble structures. The whole coast line, indeed, is singularly ill-fitted for the formation of harbors. The mighty breakwater was constructed by letting down stones 50 x 18 x 9 ft. in size into twenty fathoms deep. The mole was 200 ft. wide. Part was surmounted by a wall and towers. A promenade and dwellings for mariners were also provided. The work was done in ten or twelve years. It became the residence of the Roman procurator. It passed into the hands of Agrippa I; and here he miserably died (Acts 12:19 , Acts 12:23 ). Here dwelt Philip the Evangelist (Acts 8:40; Acts 21:8 ). To Caesarea Peter was sent to minister to the Roman centurion Cornelius (Acts 10). [[Thrice]] Paul passed through Caesarea (Acts 9:30; Acts 18:22; Acts 21:8 ); hither he was sent under guard from Jerusalem to escape danger from the Jews (Acts 23:23 ); and here he was imprisoned till his final departure for Rome. </p> <p> Riots between Gentiles and Jews in Caesarea gave rise to the war ( <i> BJ </i> , II, xiii, 7;. xiv, 4 f). [[Terrible]] cruelties were practiced on the Jews under Felix and Florus. Here Vespasian was hailed emperor by his soldiers. Titus here celebrated the birthday of his brother Domitian by setting 2,500 Jews to fight with beasts in the amphitheater. Eusebius was bishop of Caesarea (313-40 ad). In 548 ad a massacre of the Christians was organized and carried out by the Jews and Samaritans. The city passed into Moslem hands in 638. In the time of the Crusades it fell, now to the Christians and now to the Moslems; and was finally overthrown by Sultan Bibars in 1265 ad. </p> <p> The cathedral stood on the site of a temple built by Herod, where the ruins are seen today; as are also those of two aqueducts which conveyed water from <i> '''''Nahr ez''''' </i> - <i> '''''Zerḳā''''' </i> . The landward wall of the Roman city was nearly 3 miles in length. </p> <p> (2) Caesarea Philippi ('''''fi''''' -'''''lip´ı̄''''' ) (Καισαρεία ἡ Φιλίππου , <i> '''''Kaisareı́a hē Philı́ppou''''' </i> ). At the Southwest base of Mt. Hermon, on a rocky terrace, 1,150 ft. above sea-level, between <i> '''''Wādy Khashabeh''''' </i> and <i> '''''Wādy Za‛areh''''' </i> , lie the ruins of the ancient city. It was a center for the worship of Pan: whence the name Paneas, applied not only to the city, but to the whole district ( <i> Ant. </i> , XV, x, 3). It is possible that this may have been the site of ancient Baal-hermon; while [[Principal]] G. A. Smith would place Dan here ( <i> HGHL </i> , 480). The district was given by Augustus to Herod the Great 20 bc, by whom a temple of white marble was built in honor of the emperor. Paneas formed part of the tetrarchy of Philip. He rebuilt and beautified the town, calling it Caesarea as a compliment to Augustus, and adding his own name to distinguish it from Caesarea on the coast of [[Sharon]] ( <i> Ant. </i> , Xviii , ii, 1; <i> BJ </i> , II, ix, 1). From [[Bethsaida]] Jesus and His disciples came hither, and on the way Peter made his famous confession, after which Jesus began to tell them of His coming passion (Matthew 16:13; Mark 8:27 ). Some think that on a height near Caesarea Philippi Jesus was transfigured. See [[Transfiguration]] , Mount Of . Agrippa Ii renamed the town Neronias ( <i> Ant. </i> , XX, ix, 4). The ancient name however outlived both Caesare a and Neronias, and survives in the Arabic form <i> '''''Bāniās''''' </i> . The modern village, built among the ruins, contains 350 inhabitants. The walls and towers of which the remains are seen date from Crusading times. The castle, <i> '''''eṣ''''' </i> - <i> '''''Ṣubeibeh''''' </i> , crowns the hill behind the town, and must have been a place of strength from the earliest times. Its possession must always have been essential to the holding of the valley to the west. Immediately to the north of the town, at the foot of a steep crag, the fountain of the [[Jordan]] rises. Formerly the waters issued from a cave, <i> '''''Maghāret rās en''''' </i> - <i> '''''Neba‛''''' </i> , "cave of the fountain head," now filled up with débris. Two niches cut in the face of the rock recall the idolatries practiced here in olden times. A shrine of el-Khudr stands on the west of the spring. With the rich soil and plentiful supplies of water, in a comparatively temperate climate, average industry might turn the whole district into a garden. As it is, the surroundings are wonderfully beautiful. </p>