Caesarea Maritima — Of Harbors and Hippodromes

 Guest post by Linda Dindzans

As a reader, I have never met a period of history that didn’t fascinate me. As an author, the stories that find me seem always to rise from the perilous, vibrant world of the Bible.

In 2019, my husband and I traveled to Israel, where we visited Caesarea Maritima along the Mediterranean shore. This ancient city—famed for its deep-water harbor and sweeping hippodrome—remains the largest Roman ruin in Israel today.

Herod’s Grand Vision: A Harbor in the Sea

Herod the Great took a modest Phoenician anchorage known as Strato’s Tower and transformed it into one of the marvels of the ancient world. Using volcanic ash called pozzolana, which hardens underwater into Roman cement, his engineers constructed a massive artificial harbor between 22 and 10 BCE. He named this harbor Sebastos—the Greek equivalent of “Augustus”—and it quickly became a major Roman port.

At the time, Sebastos was the largest man-made harbor ever built in open sea. Surrounding it, Herod constructed a magnificent city complete with a palace, theater, aqueducts, and a gleaming temple to Augustus.

The Hippodrome: Sport, Spectacle, and Survival

Caesarea’s hippodrome—stretching along the shoreline—held a prominent place in the city’s history. Here, crowds gathered for chariot races, athletic games, gladiatorial contests, and public executions.

As in Rome’s Circus Maximus, chariot racing in Caesarea was a war on wheels. Highly trained slave-drivers—aurigas—raced two-horse chariots (bigae) or four-horse chariots (quadrigae). They were assisted by an outrider on horseback and a man on foot who helped the charioteer manage treacherous tight turns and maneuver so rival teams would falter or crash. The dangers were many, often fatal. The rewards, if a driver survived long enough, included wealth, adoration, and—rarely—freedom.

As a biblical fiction author, I could not resist this setting of the hippodrome at Caesarea. Book Two of A Certain Future Series, A Certain Mercy, Scrivenings Press features several scenes in Caesarea including a life and death chariot race.

Rome Takes Control

By A.D. 6, Rome had annexed the region, placing it under the rule of governors or prefects. During the ministry of Jesus, the prefect was Pontius Pilate (26–36 CE), who resided in Caesarea—the Roman administrative and military headquarters. This relatively new capital bustled with Greeks, Jews, Romans, and travelers from across the Mediterranean.

In contrast, Jerusalem was ancient, holy, and volatile. Pilate traveled there only when politically necessary—during feast days or times of unrest.

The Pilate Stone: A Name Set in Stone

Before 1961, there was no physical evidence outside ancient texts that Pontius Pilate ever existed. That changed when archaeologists unearthed the now-famous “Pilate Stone.” Carved into this reused building block was a fragment of a dedication to Emperor Tiberius by Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.

Found embedded in a staircase near the Herodian theater, the inscription remains the only contemporary physical artifact bearing Pilate’s name. Until its discovery, he was known solely from literary sources: the New Testament, apocryphal writings, Josephus, Philo, and Tacitus.

Caesarea in the Book of Acts

Linda's book features this beautiful setting.
Click on the cover to check it out.

The city appears repeatedly in the early Christian writings:

• Cornelius and the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10): Here Peter preached to the Roman centurion Cornelius and witnessed the Holy Spirit fall on Gentiles for the first time.

• The Death of Agrippa I (Acts 12:19–23): Herod the Great’s grandson died in Caesarea after accepting worship during games held—likely—in the hippodrome.

• Paul’s Travels: Paul sailed to and from Caesarea many times (Acts 9, 18, 27).

• Paul’s Imprisonment: Paul spent two years under house arrest in Caesarea, facing Felix, Festus, and Agrippa II before appealing to Caesar (Acts 23–27). Luke, traveling with Paul, would have had freedom to gather eyewitness accounts that shaped his Gospel and the early chapters of Acts.

• The First Jewish Revolt: The revolt ignited in Caesarea in 66 A.D. After Jerusalem fell in 70 A.D., Titus forced 2,500 Jewish prisoners to fight to the death in Caesarea’s stadium as part of his victory celebrations. The spoils of this war likely funded construction of the Colosseum in Rome.

A Launching Point for the Gospel

Caesarea’s strategic position as a major port city—and the place where Peter first preached to Gentiles—made it one of the most effective launching points for spreading the gospel to the wider Roman world.

About Linda

Linda Dindzans, M.D. is a writer with the heart of a healer who offers readers stories of redemption and restoration. Though her compelling characters inhabit the treacherous times of the Bible, Linda believes the struggles of her characters still speak to hearts today. Her debut novel A Certain Man was released in August 2024. Her  next novel A Certain Mercy (December 2025) features several scenes  set in Caesarea.

References:

1. Israel's Most Impressive Roman Ruin- Street Gems
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PUBzVup4nc&t=53s
2. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/historical-notes-pontius-pilate-a-name-set-in-stone-1084786.html
3. https://cbnisrael.org/2020/12/01/caesarea/ Biblical Israel: Caesarea by Marc Turnage 
4. https://cbnisrael.org/2025/07/01/caesarea-where-the-gospel-penetrated-the-gentile-world5.
5. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Israel_9-08_134_(2909864855).jpg photo of Pilate stone
6. https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/3887-caesarea#0
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarea_Maritima: Bibliography see below
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesarea_Maritima#cite_note-Menachery87-25

• 24.Votruba, G. 2007. "Imported Building Materials of Sebastos Harbour, Israel." International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 36:325-335.
• 23.George Menachery, 1987 in Kodungallur, City of St. Thomas, Azhikode, 1987, Chapter II note 19 quotes the National Geographic article: Robert L. Hohlfelder, "Caesarea Maritima, Herod the Great's City on the Sea". The National Geographic, 171/2, February 1987, pp. 260-79.
• 21. Hohlfelder, R. 2007. "Constructing the Harbour of Caesarea Palaestina, Israel: New Evidence from ROMACONS Field Campaign of October 2005". International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 36:409-415.

Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities: Caesarea Maritima

Matthew J. Elliott

Happy Labor Day!!

Map Location 

One of my favorite things about being an author is all the research I get to do, so I can write stories that are as historically accurate as possible. With my primary genre being Biblical Fiction, it is not always easy to ‘capture’ the story as fully as I want to because I wasn’t there. I do my best to imagine what things could have been like, but short of building a time machine, all we have to go on is history. That is what this series is all about. 

In my newest release, The Hope of Inheritance, my characters journeyed to several ancient cities. This sparked so much research, and I learned way more than I bargained for. I cannot claim to be a historian or an expert on the cities I have discovered through this, but I love sharing what I’ve learned with others. This month, we are heading to Caesarea Maritima, a port city that was a melting pot of imperial strength, political turmoil, cultural misunderstandings, and even war.

As the primary Roman capital of Judea, Caesarea was a place where deep-seated tensions built up over the years, eventually leading the city to implode upon itself.  It was the nerve center for Roman governance and military operations in the region. The political unrest in the city led to war, but it also played an instrumental role in the narrative of early Christianity. Before the reign of Herod the Great, Caesarea was a small port town with seemingly nothing to offer Rome. 

Harbor at Caesarea Maritima

According to the World History Encyclopedia, Herod commissioned an engineering masterpiece that was built between 22 and 15 BCE: a massive artificial harbor called Sebastos, which was recognized as one of the largest and most technologically advanced ports in the ancient world. Herod’s ambition wasn’t primarily focused on that, though. He was making a political statement. In time, the city became a testament to Roman power.

Complete with a grand palace, a theater that seated over 4,000 people, aqueducts that brought water in from Mt Carmel, and a huge arena for chariot races,  Caesarea was a symbol of sophisticated Roman living. By 6 CE, the city had officially replaced Jerusalem as the Roman provincial capital. Its population was a vibrant mix of several different groups of people who lived in their own urban districts. This attempt at coexistence is what often led to the struggles the Jewish community and the Greco-Syrian communities endured. 

Rendering of the Massacre

History suggests that the Roman governors who ruled from the city often exploited these tensions with their cruelty and corruption. This is what some have said Josephus, a Jewish military general who became a historian, identified as the primary cause of the first Jewish-Roman War.  The Roman Governor, Gessius Florus, was so corrupt that he ordered his soldiers to break into the Temple treasury. It was the final blow that sparked the uprising between 64 and 66 AD.  The Jewish people resented this disregard for their rights and the injustice of the Roman officials. 

Adding to the ongoing issues between both peoples, when a Grecian merchant offered bird sacrifices at the synagogue’s entrance, it pushed the tensions even further. When the Roman Garrison did not intervene, the event culminated in a horrific massacre in which 20,000 Jews in Caesarea were slaughtered. This atrocity forced the Jewish people past a point of no return, fueling a widespread rebellion and beginning the First Jewish-Roman War.

Paul's Arrest

The First Jewish-Roman War took place during the last few years of Paul the Apostle’s life. While he was in Rome ministering to the people there, which is next month's ancient city, things in Caesarea were becoming more challenging than anyone expected.  Did you know that the path Paul to to Rome actually led through Caesarea earlier on in history? In Acts 23, a Roman commander sends Paul to Governor Felix to keep Paul from being killed by the Jewish leaders. 

Caesarea is also where Paul baptized Cornelius, another Roman centurion, who became one of the leaders of the church there.  This was one of the defining moments for Christianity in the city of Caesarea and opened the door for so many other pivotal ministry moments. There is so much more that ties Christianity to Caesarea. When Paul was imprisoned there, he was able to preach and teach in Herod’s palace. All of which led him to Rome.

Another man, Phillip the Evangelist, who journeyed to Caesarea in Acts 21, would also become a leader of the church there. While Phillip was originally the man known to have taught the eunuch on the road to Samaria, he was also sent to Caesarea, where it seems that he lived a good portion of his later years. When Paul and his companions needed a place to stay in Caesarea before he was sent there by the Roman Commander, Lysias, they stayed at the house of Phillip. 

While much more can be shared about Caesarea and its impact on history and the rise of Christianity, it is important to note that the city was crucial to the growth of the Roman Empire and the Early Church. There were many different types of people living in Ancient Caesarea, and they all had a role in how this city and its history still impact us today. The lessons learned throughout history are ours to embrace.

See you in the pages,

M. J. E.

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which gave him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew and his wife, Traci, have three children named Leyla, Caleb, and Hannah, who bring them immense joy and inspiration. As a writer, his goal is to share love, equip others, and edify them for the greater good. He loves connecting any amount of scripture to his stories and uses his knowledge of Biblical History to do so often.

You can find Matthew's works on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

My Newest Biblical Fiction Novel, The Hope of Inheritance, came out on Father's Day and has received a ChristLit Book Award for excellence in Christian Literature. Grab it via Amazon. If you enjoy it, please let me know by posting a review.

One Story Still Untold. Four Unlikely Authors.

Together, their Message will speak to Many.

The city of Rome was a vast and beautiful place-- on the surface. That is, until a great fire burned and destroyed most of it. Deep in a world hidden from those who would strike against them, four unlikely men work together to share a message of truth. This truth was spoken by those who were cut down because of the calling to go forth and preach. 

The message has always been clear: The hope of our inheritance is Christ living within each of us. In the echoes of persecution, sorrow, and even death, this message still reigns supreme, but will the people listen? Only time will tell, but before anything, these four men must come together and unite a church separated by fear and suffering.

Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities: An Introduction

Matthew J. Elliott

Have you ever looked at an old map and wondered what life was truly like back then? How about imagining the places where incredible stories of resilience, exploration, or mere survival unfolded? If so, this series is for you...

Since the beginning, all of my articles have focused on the legacy people of the past have left behind for the future we live in today, but what about the places those people lived in? For this new series, I dove into that very topic. While this particular series will focus on what I have discovered about the ancient cities in biblical times, there is always room to discover other cities as well. 

The cities in this new series are all mentioned in the scriptures of the Christian faith, but they also had an impact on history as well. These cities were not just names in a book; they were real, tangible places. Each of these cities was a center for selling goods and services. Places of culture and chaos collided in profound ways. They were the setting of some of the biggest events that have taken place in our history. These places were the foundation of change and economic growth. 

Along the way, we will travel to the glories of the Roman world, which was the center of this ancient world. We will travel to the dusty streets of Nazareth, where a carpenter’s son would become something much more. Each story has its own unique story that explores the vast array of architecture and values of that time. Imagine being able to see the world through the eyes of the ancient past. Have you ever wanted to see what people like Peter and Paul saw without leaving the confines of your comfortable home or coffee shop? Well, this is what this new series will strive to do.

The goal of this series is to share my take on each of these historical gems in a way that reflects the tone of my stories. It is to illustrate the importance of remembering our history and to feel connected with the past. By discovering more about these cities found primarily in the New Testament narrative, we can learn more about them. There is a reason this series is called “Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities.” My goal isn't to provide an exhaustive historical detail, but rather to build on the essence of these cities and the influence they had in their time. I hope to give anyone who reads these posts something that they can connect with. The questions I have tried to answer are things like:

Who are the kinds of people who lived there?

What types of historical events took place?

When were they really at the height of their existence?

Where were they actually located?

Why are they so important to the biblical narrative?

How did they leave a lasting legacy on our world today?

In essence, I am taking the legacy concept into a whole new direction in an attempt to discover the impact history has had on these ancient cities and building something we can all learn from. All of this has resonated with me in a quite unexpected way, and I hope that it will be the same for those who read this series. 

Each post will focus on what my research has revealed, and I will do my best to produce resources to verify what I have found. To keep things simple, I have narrowed down each post to three key factors. 

The History and what was found

Important Biblical and Historical connections

Lessons we can hold on to for today

By understanding these three focal points, we can gain an understanding of what made each city important in history. We can highlight both the good and the bad while retaining information to guide our steps into our own future. So, get ready for a journey through time and history. Discover what “Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities” is all about and find out the lasting significance of these cities. Maybe we can learn something from the past that can impact us today.  

Next week, we will delve into Caesarea Maritima, the city where my new book, The Hope of Inheritance, began its journey. Caesarea holds a special place in my heart and was a huge governing power in Judea. One thing I learned from researching this city for my book was that there was actually a huge revolt that took place in 66 AD that changed the course of its history. It will be a fun place to begin this journey. 

Are there any cities you are particularly interested in learning about? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or on whatever social media platform you found this on. 

See you in the pages, 

M.J.E. 

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which gave him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew and his wife, Traci, have three children named Leyla, Caleb, and Hannah, who bring them immense joy and inspiration. As a writer, his goal is to share love, equip others, and edify them for the greater good. He loves connecting any amount of scripture to his stories and uses his knowledge of Biblical History to do so often.

You can find Matthew's works on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

My Newest Biblical Fiction Novel, The Hope of Inheritance, came out on Father's Day and has received a ChristLit Book Award for excellence in Christian Literature. Grab it via Amazon. If you enjoy it please let me know by posting a review.

One Story Still Untold. Four Unlikely Authors.

Together, their Message will speak to Many.

The city of Rome was a vast and beautiful place-- on the surface. That is, until a great fire burned and destroyed most of it. Deep in a world hidden from those who would strike against them, four unlikely men work together to share a message of truth. This truth was spoken by those who were cut down because of the calling to go forth and preach. 

The message has always been clear: The hope of our inheritance is Christ living within each of us. In the echoes of persecution, sorrow, and even death, this message still reigns supreme, but will the people listen? Only time will tell, but before anything, these four men must come together and unite a church separated by fear and suffering.

The Gates of Hell: Ceasarea Philipi

Blogger: Amber Schamel


Last month, we talked about the other Caesarea in Israel, Caesarea on the Sea. This month we're
talking about Caesarea Philipi which is also a very important location in Bible history. I'll be sharing some of the pictures that we took when we visited the site.

Background

Recreation of the Sanctuary of Pan

Caesarea Philippi was an ancient Roman city located at the Southeast base of Mount Hermon. This is in the area that was given to the tribe of Dan, close to the Golan Heights.

 The city was built near a spring named Panias after the Greek god Pan, who was the deity of desolate places. This spring is one of the two that feed the Jordan River. Upon the founding of this city, the spring was gushing from a cave of limestone. Today, however, the water has diminished to a seep.

The Gates of Hell

In ancient times, the spring cave was dedicated to Pan, and a temple of white marble was built next to it. In Greek mythology, Pan looked much like Mr. Tumnus from Narnia. He had the hindquarters of a goat and played a pan flute. Besides being the deity of desolate places, he was also the god of goats, shepherds and nature. 

The unique thing about this spring cave is that, at the time, there was also a bottomless pit that held more water than could be measured. It was striking to Alexander the Great, as well as all the people that witnessed it. Jewish historian Josephus spoke of it:

Panias (or Banias) Sprng

So when he had conducted Caesar to the sea, and was returned home, he built him a most beautiful temple, of the whitest stone in Zenodorus's country, near the place called Panium (Panias, Caesarea Philippi). This is a very fine cave in a mountain, under which there is a great cavity in the earth, and the cavern is abrupt, and prodigiously deep, and full of a still water; over it hangs a vast mountain; and under the caverns arise the springs of the river Jordan. Herod adorned this place, which was already a very remarkable one, still further by the erection of this temple, which he dedicated to Caesar." - Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 15,10,3


The ancient pagan priests would kill a goat, and throw it into the cave. The superstition was that if the sacrifice was 'eaten' by the cave, it was accepted, however if the blood of the sacrifice seeped into the water and ran back out of the cave, it was rejected. 

Cave or Grotto of Pan

Because the pagans believed that caves were a door to the underworld, and that water was symbolic of the abyss, this cave came to be known as the Gates of Hell (Hades). This is interesting when we note the Scriptural references to this location. 

Scriptural Reference

Caesarea Philipi is mentioned in Matthew 16:13-18:

 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

 *KJV, emphasis mine. 

Ruins at Caesarea Philipi

Of course Jesus was speaking of more than just the pagan temple that lay yards from them as he spoke. The saying symbolized Christ's (and therefore our) victory over death, but this is also an example that no pagan religion or worship will prevail over the church of the Living God.

These "gates of hell" certainly did not, because the city was destroyed, probably in an earthquake around 363 A.D, and as a result of Jesus' prophecy.

 

Author of over half a dozen books, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest". She lives in Colorado and spends half her time volunteering in the Ozarks. Visit her online at: www.AmberSchamel.com/