Caesarea Maritima
On the second day in Israel, we traveled North along the coast to Caesarea Maritima. Herod built this city in honor of one of the Caesars and added all the grandeur of Roman life. The city at the time of Christ and Paul included a theater, hippodrome, a man-made harbor, and a Royal Palace. Though Jesus did not come to Caesarea, Peter and Paul did. This is the city where Peter visited Cornelius (Acts 10). Also, Paul was imprisoned here and appeared before Agrippa in Caesarea (Acts 23-27). Caesarea was the main port city for Jerusalem and therefore it was used as the staging area for Pilate’s armies. For many years there was no historical verification of Pilate’s governorship, but during among the excavations at “Caesarea by the Sea” a discovery was made bearing his name in a dedication plaque to Tiberius. Once again, the truth of the biblical account was confirmed.
Jesus said: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)
