---
title: Caesarea Maritima
author: Patrick Scott Smith, M. A.   
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea_Maritima/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 2025-07-15
---

# Caesarea Maritima

_Authored by [Patrick Scott Smith, M. A.   ](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/patrickscottsmith1956/)_

[Caesarea](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Caesarea/) Maritima was a [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) built over 2,000 years ago (c. 22-10 BCE) on the coast of the Eastern [Mediterranean](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/mediterranean/). With [Roman engineering](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Engineering/) and largesse, [Herod the Great](https://www.worldhistory.org/Herod_the_Great/) (r. 37-4 BCE) accomplished this feat by constructing a whole metropolis with a colossal harbor that would make Caesarea the maritime trading oasis of its day.

### Early History

Dedicating the city to [Augustus](https://www.worldhistory.org/augustus/) (r. 27 BCE to 14 CE), the area on which Herod chose to build began as a locale of habitation by the Phoenician [city-state](https://www.worldhistory.org/Polis/) of [Sidon](https://www.worldhistory.org/sidon/). Specializing in glass products, and embroidered garments, and famous for its purple-dyed cloth, Sidon may have realized the location's potential in relation to [trade](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/trade/) with the East and the greater Mediterranean nations. Presumably named after King Straton I (r. 365-352 BCE) of Sidon, the place was known as Straton's Tower. North of [Egypt](https://www.worldhistory.org/egypt/) and equidistant between Gaza and Sidon (120 km either way), it lay in the midst of shipping and trade routes.

Of the descriptive name given it by [Flavius Josephus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Flavius_Josephus/) (36-100 CE) and other ancient writers, it is not known if Straton's "Tower" indicates a lighthouse, a warehouse, or perhaps a grain silo since Sidon shipped raw goods and Straton's Tower was en route "the long-established Phoenician-[Egyptian](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Egyptian/) run" (Bull, 26). Interestingly, silos recently found in Egypt, dating to around 1600 BCE, are up to 6.5 meters (21 ft) in diameter, suggesting a conspicuous degree of height. Either way, as Straton's Tower was known to be a trading village, Strabo (c. 63 BCE to 24 CE) also reports it had its own "station for vessels" (16.2.27).

Once providing ships and goods for the [Persian Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Persian_Empire/), Sidon's certain nadir began, alongside [Persia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persia/)'s defeat by [Alexander the Great](https://www.worldhistory.org/Alexander_the_Great/) in 332 BCE. Soon after [Alexander](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Alexander/)'s [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/), one of his generals, [Seleucus I Nicator](https://www.worldhistory.org/Seleucos_I/) (r. 305-281 BCE), began the [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) [Seleucid](https://www.worldhistory.org/Seleucid_Empire/) takeover of former territories of the [Achaemenid Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Achaemenid_Empire/), including [Phoenicia](https://www.worldhistory.org/phoenicia/). Today, from the ruins of Caesarea, excavators have found [Hellenistic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hellenic_World/) [pottery](https://www.worldhistory.org/pottery/) and coins that date from the last two centuries BCE. Additionally, evidence of a pre-Herodian fortification associated with a Hellenistic presence is dated to the same time period. Such discoveries suggest a relatively brief presence of the [Seleucid Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Seleucid_Empire/) at Straton's Tower. The area was then captured by the Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus in 103 BCE. During the late [Roman Republic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Republic/), [Pompey the Great](https://www.worldhistory.org/pompey/) (106-48 BCE) attached it to the province of [Syria](https://www.worldhistory.org/syria/), and then [Octavian](https://www.worldhistory.org/augustus/) gave it to Herod in 30 BCE.

### Herod's City

Built on the area's ruins, after its inauguration and dedication to Augustus by Herod in 13/12 BCE, Caesarea became a cosmopolitan city of Jews, Christians, [Samaritans](https://www.worldhistory.org/Samaritans/), Greeks, and Syrians living in their own districts. Within its original walls, the city contained 164 acres, but during the time of the [Pax Romana](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pax_Romana/) – when [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) legions on the borders of the [Roman Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Empire/) made a protective [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/) unnecessary – the city expanded far beyond the original Herodian wall. With an urban sprawl 8 km (5 mi) long and over 3 km (2 mi) inland, Caesarea, at its height, became home to tens of thousands of residents.

While we normally think of city growth in terms of incremental expansion and development, it is remarkable that the [infrastructure of Caesarea Maritima](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2313/the-infrastructure-of-caesarea-maritima/) was built ready for habitation. Yet, as usual with [Herod the Great's building program](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2487/herod-the-greats-building-program/), the buildout at Caesarea was not done on the cheap. Flavius [Josephus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Flavius_Josephus/) (36-100 CE), a reliable historian and eyewitness of the day, describes the splendor of the town as buildings were built with "white stone" and the city was "adorned with several splendid palaces" (*Wars*, 1.21.5-6; *Antiquities* 15.9.6). Herod's residence was perhaps the most splendorous of all. Called the Promontory [Palace](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/palace/) by modern excavators, as it sat on a jut-out overlooking the sea, its lower level boasted an expansive inner courtyard containing an equally expansive pool.

[ ![Promontory Palace of Herod the Great](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/18029.jpg?v=1697578623-1697525762) Promontory Palace of Herod the Great Carole Raddato (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18029/promontory-palace-of-herod-the-great/ "Promontory Palace of Herod the Great")Edifices also punctuating the skyline view would have included a hippodrome for [chariot](https://www.worldhistory.org/chariot/) races, an amphitheater for sporting events like boxing and wrestling, and a smaller [theatre](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/theatre/) for the arts that is still in use today. Yet, one of the most visible structures would have been the [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/). Juxtaposed between the city and [Herod's harbor](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2269/herods-harbor/), with ornate Corinthian columns, the temple towered close to 30 meters (100 ft). As the temple adjoined the city's traffic grid, the Cardo Maximus was the main thoroughfare. Compared to a 12-meter (38-foot) wide modern highway, the Cardo Maximus was 16 meters (54 ft) wide. Almost 1.5 kilometers (1 mi) long, it was bordered with mosaics and was impressively lined with 700 columns, certainly of the Corinthian type. Then at the foot of the temple, as it serviced the city, was the colossal harbor.

### The Harbor

As trade between the littoral nations of the Mediterranean was accomplished largely by sea, Caesarea's harbor was an essential arm servicing the city. Moreover, while the city was built on commercial [trade in the Roman world](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/638/trade-in-the-roman-world/), it served [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/)'s military concerns as well. Consequently, the artificial harbor, with no natural bay or promontory to build on, was built like a fortress at sea. Supporting a superstructure of towers and battlements; using blocks weighing up to 50 tons, its breakwaters, laid out on a circular course, housed nearly 40 acres of water. In comparison, the medium-sized port, [Leptis Magna](https://www.worldhistory.org/Lepcis_Magna/), upgraded by the [Roman emperor](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Emperor/) [Septimius Severus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Septimius_Severus/) (r. 193-211 CE) at the end of the 2nd century CE, contained 25 acres. Herod's Harbor, therefore, certainly appears to have been built to receive mass goods. Vessels of all types and sizes plied the haven: from warships used in [Roman naval warfare](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Naval_Warfare/) to huge grain ships and larger stone- and wine-carriers to the smaller merchant galleys.

[ ![Herod's Harbor](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/17791.jpg?v=1753721235-1752053544) Herod's Harbor Patrick Scott Smith, M. A. (CC BY-NC-ND) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17791/herods-harbor/ "Herod's Harbor")The lighthouse would have been the focal point for navigators, day or night. On entering the harbor, ships would furl their sails, and in navigating the entrance, they would have relied on oars. Depending on the condition of wind and waves, a system of ropes and tugs may, at times, have aided vessels past the entrance. A harbor pilot would make sure ships were sent to their proper berths, were tugged if needed, and then properly moored to the quay. Loading and offloading from the quays would involve laborers, carts, and cranes. A harbor master, as well, would oversee all activity, including ship check-in, and then after vessels were loaded and ready to head out, he would approve check-out. He also would have been responsible for the all-important port fees and duty collection. Oversight accounting involving comparison records between trade transactions in the city and the flow of goods at the harbor would also have been critical.

### Trade

The lucrative northern [silk routes](https://www.worldhistory.org/Silk_Road/) through [Mesopotamia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mesopotamia/) were controlled by Rome's ablest competitor: [Parthia](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Parthia/). Thus, Caesarea's purpose was to control the [eastern trade network of ancient Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1761/the-eastern-trade-network-of-ancient-rome/), which included southern east-west land routes through [Arabia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Arabia/) and sea routes by way of the Red Sea, therefore monopolizing eastern Mediterranean trade in general.

Situated north of [Alexandria](https://www.worldhistory.org/alexandria/) and south of [Tyre](https://www.worldhistory.org/Tyre/), the location of the city/harbor complex in relation to ship and trade flows indicates a purposeful plan to capture income. The substantial flow of eastern goods going west to the eastern Mediterranean coast and the general counterclockwise movement of ship traffic in the Mediterranean made the harbor a gateway to the west. Goods from [India](https://www.worldhistory.org/india/) and Indonesia would have moved west, then northwest through the Arabian and Red Seas. Goods from Egypt and [Africa](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/africa/) would have moved north up the eastern Mediterranean coast for distribution there, then west throughout the Mediterranean. Likewise, as the harbor was en route for emptied or loaded vessels circuiting the Mediterranean and for loaded ships moving north up the coast from Alexandria, the harbor/town complex also interacted with Gaza, which received goods from Africa, Arabia, India, and Indonesia, the most lucrative of which would have been [pepper](https://www.worldhistory.org/Pepper/) and frankincense.

[ ![Ancient Ruins of the Harbor at Caesarea Maritima](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/17860.jpg?v=1772412909-1693471314) Ancient Ruins of the Harbor at Caesarea Maritima Ron Gafni (CC BY-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17860/ancient-ruins-of-the-harbor-at-caesarea-maritima/ "Ancient Ruins of the Harbor at Caesarea Maritima")In respect to Gaza, it is important to note, that though [Trajan](https://www.worldhistory.org/trajan/) (r. 98-107 CE) would take over Petra in 106 CE; Augustus granted Gaza to Herod 136 years earlier. Thus, not only did Caesarea own Gaza's markets and worked cooperatively with Alexandria, it would have captured trade flows from Petra with its location en route to Gaza. Incense was, in fact, carried from Petra by road to Gaza. By owning Gaza, with its diverse markets, Caesarea was placed in a position to dominate not only sea trade but also overland trade to consumer [cities](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) inland, like Bostra, Samaria, and [Jerusalem](https://www.worldhistory.org/jerusalem/).

A number of trading scenarios would also include the movement of building materials, weapons, and military personnel to these cities and other towns in the eastern end of the Mediterranean as the [empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/) expanded. Specific ways in which Caesarea could also have generated income would include harbor and duty fees, income from the control and trade from mining operations, freighter service charges, its own buying and selling of bulk and refined goods, the reprocessing of goods coming from the east and north, and money saved by owning its own fleet of freighters. Moreover, concerning mining and the production or import of the critical alloy, [bronze](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/bronze/), Robert Bull summarizes:

> In AD 6, the Romans made Caesarea the seat of provincial administration. Roman procurators, residing in Caesarea, were charged with collecting taxes, overseeing civil affairs, and recruiting personnel from the local population to serve as auxiliary legionaries. The troops were paid in bronze coins struck from a mint at Caesarea licensed by Rome. The coins were also used as a means of exchange in the area's rapidly developing [economy](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/economy/). (27)

### Provincial Capital

In 6 CE, after Herod's death, Herod's palace "became the official residence of the Roman governor, his kingdom became a Roman province with Caesarea as its main port and administrative capital" (Burrell, 56). Then when the [Great Jewish Revolt of 66 CE](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/823/the-great-jewish-revolt-of-66-ce/) was crushed by Roman soldiers garrisoned at Caesarea, [Vespasian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Vespasian/) elevated the city to the status of a Roman colony. Later when the second Jewish Revolt, also known as [the Bar-Kochba Revolt](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Bar-Kochba_Revolt/) (132-136 CE) ended with the destruction of Jerusalem, the provincial governor of [Judaea](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/judaea/) was raised to senatorial rank, and Caesarea became the capital of the Roman province of Syria-Palestina. The continued Roman presence is evident in a recent find at Herod's palace of "two [column](https://www.worldhistory.org/column/)-shaped pedestals with inscriptions honoring four Roman procurators that date from the 2nd century to the early 4th century CE" (57).

As part of the early Christian sect at Caesarea, according to the [New Testament](https://www.worldhistory.org/New_Testament/), Phillip, the evangelist settled there; Peter preached there; and [Paul the Apostle](https://www.worldhistory.org/Paul_the_Apostle/) was held prisoner there before his trial in Rome. After this, little is known about [early Christianity](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1205/early-christianity/) at Caesarea until a significant presence emerged in the early 3rd century, reflected in the establishment of a major library of 30,000 volumes by Origin (c. 185-253 CE), the theologian. Utilizing that library, Eusebius (d. 339), the church historian, wrote and oversaw [Constantine I](https://www.worldhistory.org/Constantine_I/)'s (r. 306-337) request for 50 copies of the [Bible](https://www.worldhistory.org/bible/) at Caesarea's scriptorium.

Likewise, around the same time, though the Jews had been decimated at Caesarea, their own cultural resurgence occurred with the establishment of a school for the study of [Judaism](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/judaism/) by Rabbi Hoshaiah, who died in 250 CE. That school produced several outstanding teachers, including Rabbi Abbahu. Jewish presence and resurgence at Caesarea is also indicated by the building of a synagogue dating to the 4th century CE. Built over the site of a house-synagogue dating to the Herodian period, this place was used until the middle of the 4th century. A new one was built over its ruins in the middle of the 5th century.

[ ![Mithraeum, Caesarea Maritima](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/18031.jpg?v=1700488263-1697526095) Mithraeum, Caesarea Maritima Carole Raddato (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18031/mithraeum-caesarea-maritima/ "Mithraeum, Caesarea Maritima")Additional evidence of the religious diversity at Caesarea came with the surprise discovery of the only Mithraeum found in [Israel](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Israel/). The discovery first started with the excavation of a Roman building from the 3rd century CE called the Honorific Portico. The site yielded short columns bearing inscriptions honoring military notables on which presumably stood statues bearing their likenesses. However, further excavation revealed the building accessed and stood on top of a Mithraeum below. With a sole focus on [Mithra](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mithra/), a single savior/[god](https://www.worldhistory.org/God/) of light and truth portrayed in ancient Indian and [Persian literature](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persian_Literature/), [Mithraism](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mithraic_Mysteries/), as it also became popular in the [Roman army](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Army/), involved a male-only secret society requiring rigorous initiation rites. The Romans had converted one of Herod's underground storage vaults into a space for the practice of the cult's rites, complete with an altar, benches, and frescoes of the life of Mithra.

### Later History

While the literary record falls silent about Caesarea Maritima after the 4th century, material evidence of [Byzantine](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Byzantine/) presence comes in the form of a Byzantine fortified wall longer than the original Herodian wall. That its encirclement protected, at least in part, the expanded suburbia of Caesaria indicates a continuation of urban activity. The Joint Expedition to Caesarea found a Byzantine structure thought to be part of a greater municipal complex. Situated along the original Cardo Maximus was a building dubbed the Archive Building. As [mosaic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Mosaic/) was a particularly popular medium of [Byzantine art](https://www.worldhistory.org/Byzantine_Art/), along with mosaic floors dating to the Byzantine period, mosaic inscriptions citing New Testament verses were found.

[ ![Byzantine Governor's Palace, Caesarea Maritima](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/18030.jpg?v=1700488266-1697525933) Byzantine Governor's Palace, Caesarea Maritima Carole Raddato (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18030/byzantine-governors-palace-caesarea-maritima/ "Byzantine Governor's Palace, Caesarea Maritima")While the Persians of the [Sasanian Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Sasanian_Empire/) conquered the city in 614 CE and the [Byzantine emperor](https://www.worldhistory.org/Byzantine_Emperor/) [Heraclius](https://www.worldhistory.org/Heraclius/) retook it in 627-628 CE, reflecting Caesarea's demise as a thriving municipality and commercial enterprise, Bull believes, the Archive Building was destroyed in 639/640 CE as part of the Islamic [conquest](https://www.worldhistory.org/warfare/) of all the Middle East and North Africa. Thus cut off from the west, with its trade network diminished and harbor dysfunctional, the final ruins of this once magnificent metropolis became a quarry, as farmers burned statues and marble for lime, and stone and marble blocks were hauled off for the building of cities elsewhere.

However, following the 7th-century devastation, while never again playing an important role in the wider network of Mediterranean trade, Caesarea experienced a seesaw of restoration and ruin. During the centuries before the [Crusades](https://www.worldhistory.org/Crusades/), under Arab rule, the locale began a slow recovery from a farming district under the [Rashidun Caliphate](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rashidun_Caliphate/) to a Muslim stronghold protecting a vibrant area. Nasir Khusraw, the Persian poet and traveler, describes in 1047 CE, in his *Book of Travels*, a place of lush gardens and fountains. William of Tyre (1130-1186) also mentions the taking of the same stronghold with siege engines by Baldwin I (*History*, 10:15). Though diminutive in comparison to the original Herodian and Byzantine fortifications, as the Crusaders made their own fortified enclosure adjacent to the diminished harbor, they occupied it in [battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/) with Muslim forces from 1101 to 1187 and again from 1191 to 1265. As Bull mentions:

> While the Crusader ruins contain structures that date from early in the Crusades, the prominent visible remains today - the moat, escarpment, citadel and walls containing some sixteen towers – date from 1251 when King Louis IX of France spent a full year restoring the fortifications. (33)

Finally, from the time the Mamluks retook the Crusader fortification in 1265, destroying Crusader presence, it is believed the area became uninhabited until it was sparsely repopulated by the [Ottoman Empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ottoman_Empire/) in the mid-17th to early 19th centuries.

In modern times, in 1884, Muslim refugees fleeing the Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia established a small colony on the remains of the Crusader city. Their mosque can still be seen inside the Crusader walls. While remaining a village with a mixture of mostly Muslim and some Christian inhabitants in the 20th century, timewise after the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, the municipality of Caesarea was moved approximately 2 kilometers to the north of the old ruins.

Today, at the original site by the sea, as archaeological surveys are ongoing, the Caesarea National Park is a major tourist destination for Israel. Established in 2011, it is included on the list of Tentative World Heritage Sites. Commemorating Caesarea's storied history, with restoration works in progress and an offering of archaeological and historical exhibits, 670,000 people visited the park in 2022.

#### Editorial Review

This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).

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## About the Author

Presenting research for the American Society of Overseas Research and Missouri Academy of Science and writing for the Association for the Scientific Study of Religion, Patrick Smith won the 2015 and 2024 Frank Forwood Award for Excellence in Research.

## Timeline

- **c. 22 BCE - c. 10 BCE**: [Caesarea Maritima](https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea_Maritima/) is built.

## Questions & Answers

### What is Caesarea Maritima known for?
Caesarea Maritima was an important trade center in antiquity, known for its colossal harbor built by Herod the Great. After the second Jewish Revolt, also known as the Bar-Kochba Revolt (132-136 CE), Caesarea became the capital of the Roman province of Syria-Palestina. By the early 3rd century, the city became an important center of Christianity.

### Where is Caesarea Maritima today?
Caesarea Maritima is in modern-day Israel. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, the municipality of Caesarea was moved approximately 2 kilometers to the north of the old ruins, and nowadays, the original site by the sea, the Caesarea National Park is a major tourist destination.


## Cite This Work

### APA
A., P. S. S. M. (2023, October 17). Caesarea Maritima. *World History Encyclopedia*. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea\_Maritima/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea_Maritima/)
### Chicago
A., Patrick Scott Smith, M.. "Caesarea Maritima." *World History Encyclopedia*, October 17, 2023. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea\_Maritima/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea_Maritima/).
### MLA
A., Patrick Scott Smith, M.. "Caesarea Maritima." *World History Encyclopedia*, 17 Oct 2023, [https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea\_Maritima/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea_Maritima/).

## License & Copyright

Submitted by [Patrick Scott Smith, M. A.](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/patrickscottsmith1956/ "User Page: Patrick Scott Smith, M. A."), published on 17 October 2023. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.