It was like going back to the times of the Ben Hur movie! I was thrilled!

Caesarea Maritima was built from 25 to 13 BC by King Herod (yes, the King Herod of the Bible) as a major port for the Roman Empire. It was the place where Pontius Pilate governed during the time of Jesus.The site is now a historical site north of Tel Aviv.

Herod built himself a grand palace on the sea, plus an amphitheatre and a hippodrome for chariot races, just like in the movies.

The site changed hands many times throughout history. It was the capital of a Byzantine province. Then it was the last city in the Holy Land to fall to the Arabs. The Crusades marched in later and changed the whole port into a fortified town.

I witnessed the layers of history represented in artifacts from different eras.

I enjoyed the exhibit showing pottery from different periods.

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