Say what you want about Herod the Great(and there are lots of bad things to say), the brother knew how to build things that would last. He was appointed King of Judea by the Romans around 40 BCE. We had an wonderful time visiting the three-level fortress that he built (between 37 and 31 BCE)that was 1300 ft above the shores of the Dead Sea (to the South and west of Jerusalem) to hide out in just in case folks came looking to kill him. He went over the top when he constructed it (bath houses,luxurious tapestries and riches,cisterns that held of 40,000 cubic meters!)
It still stands, even though he built it so long ago and it was attacked by legions of the Roman army in 70 AD who were trying to kill the 900 or so Zealots who after the fall of Jerusalem, had take up shelter in the fortress (more about that incredible story a little later.)
The view from the top is breathtaking: the mountains, the dry land and the Dead Sea. You can go to the top of the structure where you can see the original walls, cisterns, etc. You can take a cable car up to the top or you can walk up the snake path that the ancients had to take to get to the top! I, in a rare moment of wisdom, decided on the cable car, but Tres walked the whole thing. He's so cool.
Masada is a testimony to Herod, but also to the bravery and courage of the Jewish people. The Zealots held up against the Romans for three years. When it was clear that the Romans were going to take them, everyone in the community committed suicide except a handful of older women and children so that they could tell the story of the strength of their people.
CEASARIA- is another monument to Herod the builder who created this amazing port city on the Mediterranean coast- between Haifa and Tel Aviv.
He constructed it to give honor to his mentor, Caesar Augustus. It had one of those hippodromes where animals and men compete in wild races. There were theatres and amphitheatres and baths, etc. His engineers created some amazing water systems but unfortunately a lot of the harbor and city sunk after many years.
Like many structures in Israel, lot of rulers, the Crusaders, the Byzantines take over, destroy and rebuild on top of what is left. Ceasarea is mentioned several times in the book of Acts in New Testament. Sadly, many Jews who took part in the revolt were slaughtered here as well.
What remains today however, is quite beautiful- but the ruins and the modern restaurants, stores and parks are gorgeous.
They still have concerts in the ancient stadium. When we were visiting a young Jewish woman urged on by her group, stood and sang two beautiful songs in Hebrew. The acoustics were fabulous. I wanted to stay by the Mediterranean all evening and bask in the sun and the ruins but we couldn't. Tres said that we are having the "antipasto experience of Israel"- a little of this and a little of that. Just enough to whet the appetite. We keep turning to each other when we were in a place that we loved and said- let's put this on the list for when we return. Ceasarea is on the list. (Sorry had to upload someone else's pictures- my camera battery was dead by the time we got to Ceasaria, so we used my phone camera and you know by now what happened to my phone.)
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