---
title: Caesarea Maritima Digital Reconstruction
author: Patrick Scott Smith, M. A.
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21685/caesarea-maritima-digital-reconstruction/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0)
updated: 2026-03-23
---
# Caesarea Maritima Digital Reconstruction
_Authored by [Patrick Scott Smith, M. A. ](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/patrickscottsmith1956/)_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/21685.jpg)
## Image Caption
One of the most remarkable builds of the ancient world, the metropolis of [Caesarea Maritima](https://www.worldhistory.org/Caesarea_Maritima/) was literally built from the ground up. In the latter years of the 1st century BCE, as a port [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/), it served [Rome](https://www.worldhistory.org/Rome/)’s purpose in extending its military and commercial presence in the Eastern [Mediterranean](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/mediterranean/). As Rome’s client king and point man in the East, [Herod the Great](https://www.worldhistory.org/Herod_the_Great/) accomplished this feat by constructing a whole city, complete with a [temple](https://www.worldhistory.org/temple/), palaces, amphitheater, theater, paved streets, waterworks, and, fundamental to the city’s purpose, [Herod's harbor](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2269/herods-harbor/).
As a favorite location for the stationing of troops by the [Roman emperor](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Emperor/) [Vespasian](https://www.worldhistory.org/Vespasian/), and as a base of operations, military action out of [Caesarea](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Caesarea/) came when the [Great Jewish Revolt of 66 CE](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/823/the-great-jewish-revolt-of-66-ce/) was crushed with thousands of Jewish lives lost by [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) soldiers garrisoned at Caesarea. After this, Vespasian elevated the city to the status of a Roman colony. Then, when [the Bar-Kochba Revolt](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Bar-Kochba_Revolt/) (132-135 CE) ended with the destruction of [Jerusalem](https://www.worldhistory.org/jerusalem/), the provincial governor of Judea was raised to senatorial rank, and it was then that Judea’s name was changed to [Syria](https://www.worldhistory.org/syria/)-Palaestina, and Caesarea became the official capital of the Roman province. Finally, with added [aqueducts](https://www.worldhistory.org/aqueduct/) fed by new water sources, the population of Caesarea, spilling past the original Herodian [wall](https://www.worldhistory.org/wall/), during the [Byzantine](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Byzantine/) period, after the 4th century, is thought to have exceeded 100,000 residents.
Using archaeological reports by Ehud Netzer, Barbara Burrell, Kenneth Holum, Robert Bull, and others, along with [Flavius Josephus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Flavius_Josephus/)' eyewitness descriptions, the image you see is part of the collaborative work of Lithodomos and Patrick Scott Smith.
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored image 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/).
## 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.
## Cite This Work
### APA
A., P. S. S. M. (2026, March 23). Caesarea Maritima Digital Reconstruction. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
A., Patrick Scott Smith, M.. "Caesarea Maritima Digital Reconstruction." *World History Encyclopedia*, March 23, 2026. .
### MLA
A., Patrick Scott Smith, M.. "Caesarea Maritima Digital Reconstruction." *World History Encyclopedia*, 23 Mar 2026, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Patrick Scott Smith, M. A.](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/patrickscottsmith1956/ "User Page: Patrick Scott Smith, M. A."), published on 23 March 2026. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0deed.en). This licence only allows others to download this content and share it with others as long as the author is credited, but they can't change the content in any way or use it commercially. 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.