Touching the Promised Land 02 | Day 1 – CAESAREA MARITIMA
- Regina Liu
- Sep 5, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 17
CITY OF ROMAN EMPERORS
Highlights
Caesarea Maritima is the first stop of visit after having departed the airport.
Situated on the east coast of Mediterranean Sea, here at Caesarea Maritima, you can vividly feel the pulse of that far-away era. If Jerusalem is God's chosen holy city, Caesarea is then a monument to human ambition. Its "master builder" was Herod the Great - a formidable figure in the Gospels. Paying homage to Augustus Caesar, he laboured to raise this magnificent Roman-style port city from the Mediterranean sands.
For Christians, Caesarea is where Apostle Paul was held prior sailing to Rome, as well as the city that hallowed by a pivotal event: the baptism of the first Gentile. While the Apostle Peter received his world-altering vision in Joppa, it was here in Caesarea that the Roman centurion Cornelius received his own divine instruction. Their subsequent meeting in this city, orchestrated by God, demonstrated God's will to open the way of salvation to the Gentiles - the entire world.
In that moment, the names from the pages and the physical evidences before my eyes converged. The biblical narrative found its weighty, archaeological confirmation.
"Caesarea Maritima” is mentioned first in Acts chapter 10 records that Peter baptized Cornelius and his family, a Gentile, here, marking the beginning of the gospel's spread from Jews to Gentiles, which has profound significance for Gentile believers. The Apostle Paul was also imprisoned here before being taken to Rome (Acts 25:4). This Pharisees, inspired by the Holy Spirit, transformed from persecutors of the church into a faithful apostle preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. His letters have become an important part of the New Testament, still teaching future generations with God's word.
The "Stone of Pilate" discovered at Tiberias is the only archaeological evidence outside the Bible that clearly and indisputably records the name of the Roman official who had held the trial that lead to Jesus’ crucifixion. This stone was discovered in ***, and indisputably proved the historical existence of the time, despite much doubts prior the discovery.
Designated for UNESCO's Tentative List, Caesarea—the former seat of Roman power in Judea—monuments a succession of eras. Its later Crusader fortifications (12th-13th centuries) are literally embedded into the remnants of earlier Roman, Byzantine, and Arab settlements, built from their very spoils. This striking physical layering is a direct result of its long history of conquest, reuse, and enduring strategic significance over two thousand years.
Sightseeing Notes
Due to time constraints, we focused on the Caesarea National Park, bypassing the modern town. We followed an efficient route (partly by vehicle, partly on foot), visiting nine key locations:
The Roman Aqueduct
Herod the Great, an admirer of Roman engineering, built this ten-kilometre-long aqueduct to bring fresh water from Mount Carmel. A later expansion from the Taninim River was so seamlessly integrated that the join is almost invisible.
The Roman Theatre
Beautifully restored, it still functions as a performance venue for world-renowned orchestras.
The Tiberius Stadium & The Pilate Inscription
A small site adjacent to the theatre, housing the replica of the pivotal ‘Stone of Pilate’.
The Caesarean Columns
Re-erected from excavated fragments, these pillars of varied stone stand as broken sentinels against the sky, powerfully evoking the words of Ecclesiastes: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."
Mosaic Hall
The remaining tesserae hint at former exquisite beauty, though little of outstanding note remains.
Herod's Cape Palace
The remains of a freshwater pool extending into the sea evoke its former grandeur. One cannot help but reflect that, two millennia on, our enjoyment of a modern infinity pool seeks a similar earthly pleasure.
The Arena
Originally a racecourse, it was later converted into a gladiatorial arena. Beyond entertainment, it was the site where, in the first century AD, some 2,500 Jewish prisoners were forced to kill one another.
Crusader Fortifications
Here, history is layered in stone—from the 4th century BC, through Roman autonomy, to Byzantine, Arab, Crusader, and Mamluk rule. The long, turbulent story of this "Promised Land" begins to unfold vividly from this very first stop.
Crusader Restaurant
An appealing modern Mediterranean restaurant within the park. Sadly, time permitted only a photograph, not a meal. A small regret of the trip was missing a proper taste of authentic Mediterranean cuisine, a pleasure we must surely save for next time.
Crusaders Restaurant inside the park
Touching the Promised Land 03 | DAY 1 – HAIFA
A CITY OF COEXISTENCE AND BEAUTY
Haifa offers a striking contrast to the ancient ruins of Caesarea. This beautiful city, cascading down the slopes of Mount Carmel towards the sea, is a modern beacon of co-existence. It is a place where the Bahá'í Gardens, with their breathtaking golden-domed shrine, form a stunning spiritual centrepiece, while churches and mosques dot the cityscape. For the Christian pilgrim, Haifa holds its own significance as the traditional home of the Prophet Elijah, a place of contest and conviction. It is a vibrant, peaceful metropolis that demonstrates how diverse faiths can peacefully share a common space, adding a hopeful and contemporary chapter to the enduring narrative of this land.