That the World May Know

Located in the northeastern part of Israel at the foot of Mount Hermon, lay Caesarea Philippi, a pagan city built by Herod Philip, a son of Herod the Great.For many years, people in this area had worshiped false gods, including Baal (Josh. 11:16-1...

Caesarea: Why was Caesarea built?

Herod built the Seaport at Caesarea for a number of different reasons.- He needed a port on the Mediterranean because existing ones were outside his kingdom or hostile to him.- He recognized Caesarea's strategic location along the Via Maris, the t...

Cistern of Masada

Cisterns Herod built to provide water during times of siege and to fill his luxurious swimming pools and supply his bathing complexes. The amount of water needed was staggering. There were several swimming pools on top of the desert mountain, wher...

Cisterns

What was "Cistern Water"In Israel, the rainy season is only five months long, stretching from November through March. Since fresh springs like those at En Gedi are rare, most ancient cities, towns, and even households used cisterns to ca...

Cities

Gezer, Dan, Arad-these place names have little meaning for most Bible readers. But they did mean something to the writers of the Text. These places brought certain pictures and events to mind, much like the names "New York," "Hicksv...

City Daughters

City DaughtersA city king's influence often extended beyond the city walls. Major cities, such as Gezer, had smaller villages, known as "daughters," that cropped up outside the city walls. Unlike a city, these villages were not walled. T...

City Gates

City gates played a significant role in ancient life. Because openings in city walls created a weak place, ancient people strengthened their gates to prevent their city from being easily invaded. Building a gatehouse inside the city wall became a ...

City Gates in the Bible

City Gates in the Bible Since gates were the center of city life, it is not surprising that scripture writers often described important officials as "sitting in the gate." Understanding the important role of city gates brings new light t...

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Glossary

Caesarea Definition

Port city and provincial capital of the Roman province of Judea. Herod built a spectacular man-made harbor with two breakwaters to link the country with world commerce.

Caesarea Philippi Definition

Large Hellenistic city rebuilt and renamed by Philip the Tetrarch. Located on Mount Hermon in the upper Jordan Valley near the spring of Panias, one of the three headwaters of the Jordan River, and the site of a great pagan temple dedicated to Pan...

Cella Definition

The great hall of a temple which contained the cult statue.

City Gates Definition

During Biblical times, city gates protected the entrance to the city and functioned as the center of city life. In various chambers inside the gatehouse, people paid their taxes, settled legal matters, and even met the king. The city gates also pr...

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