The ancient city of Caesarea Maritima was built by Herod the Great about 25–13 BCE as a major port. Caesarea was a large and influential Roman city. It later became the provincial capital of Roman Judea. The city was populated throughout the 1st to 6th centuries AD and became an important early center of Christianity during the Byzantine period.
The theater which can hold 7,000 was used for performances. The chariot races were held in the hippodrome arena that holds 12,000.
Capernaum
They went Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
Jesus made Capernaum his home during the years of his ministry: “Leaving Nazareth He went and lived in Capernaum” (Matt 4:13).
Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen living in the village. Matthew the tax collector also dwelt here.
These earlier walls were preserved up to 3 feet high. The entire western wall still exists and was used as the foundation for the later synagogue.
The date of this synagogue is debated, but it is clearly later than the first century. Excavations have revealed a synagogue from the time of Jesus with walls made of worked stone, 4 feet thick.
