Editing Caesarea Maritima (section)

==Archaeology and reconstruction==
[[File:ISR-2016-Caesarea-Caesarea Maritima-Columns.jpg|thumb|Columns]]Large-scale archaeological excavations began in the 1950s and 1960s and continue to this day, conducted by volunteers working under the supervision of archaeologists. The majority of the archaeological excavations are done by the United States and Israel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-04-vw-1925-story.html |title= A Museum Renders Unto Caesarea |website=[[Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County|L.A.'s Natural History Museum]] |access-date=2017-11-21|date= 4 September 1988 }}</ref> Remains from many periods have been uncovered, in particular from the large city of the Roman and Byzantine periods and from the fortified town of the Crusaders. Major Classical-era findings are the [[Roman theatre (structure)|Roman theatre]]; a temple dedicated to the goddess [[Roma (personification)|Roma]] and Emperor [[Caesar Augustus|Augustus]]; a [[hippodrome]] rebuilt in the 2nd century as a more conventional theatre;{{dubious|Not amphitheatre?|date=June 2019}} the Tiberieum, where archaeologists found a reused limestone block with a [[Pilate stone|dedicatory inscription]] mentioning Pilate<ref name="Reed18">{{cite book |last1=Reed |first1=Jonathan L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xrav1ge-A_sC |title=Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus: a re-examination of the evidence |publisher=A&C Black |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-56338-394-6}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=Xrav1ge-A_sC&pg=PA18 p. 18]. ''Studying the historical Jesus: evaluations of the state of current research'' by Bruce Chilton, Craig A. Evans 1998; {{ISBN|90-04-11142-5}}, pg. 65</ref> the only archaeological find bearing his name and title; a double [[Roman aqueduct|aqueduct]] that brought water from springs at the foot of [[Mount Carmel, Israel|Mount Carmel]]; a boundary wall; and a 200&nbsp;ft (60 m) wide moat protecting the harbour to the south and west.

In 1986, the [[Israel Exploration Society]] published the archaeological findings of L.I. Levine and E. Netzer, during three seasons of excavations (1975, 1976 and 1979) at Caesarea.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.israelexplorationsociety.com/|title=Society Biblical Archaeology &#124; Israel Exploration Society &#124; החברה לחקירות ארץ ישראל|website=Israel Exploration Society}}</ref> In 2010, archaeological surveys-excavations of the site were conducted by Dani Vaynberger and Carmit Gur on behalf of the [[Israel Antiquities Authority]] (IAA),<ref>[[Israel Antiquities Authority]], [http://www.antiquities.org.il/m_digs_eng.aspx?shana=2010 Excavators and Excavations Permit for Year 2010], Survey Permit # A-5817</ref> and others by Peter Gendelman and Jacob Sharvit on behalf of the IAA, Yosef Porath, Beverly Goodman, and Michal Artzy on behalf of University of Haifa.<ref>[[Israel Antiquities Authority]], [http://www.antiquities.org.il/m_digs_eng.aspx?shana=2010 Excavators and Excavations Permit for Year 2010], Survey Permit # A-5949, Survey Permit # G-10, and Survey Permit # G-25</ref> The site continued to be excavated as late as 2013.<ref>[[Israel Antiquities Authority]], [http://www.antiquities.org.il/m_digs_eng.aspx?shana=2013 Excavators and Excavations Permit for Year 2013], Survey Permit # A-6743</ref> A new phase of exploration began in 2018 under the direction of Joseph L. Rife, Phillip Lieberman, and Peter Gendelman on behalf of Vanderbilt University and the IAA.

In February 2015, marine archaeologists and diving club members from the [[Israel Antiquities Authority]] announced that about 2,000 gold coins dating back more than 1,000 years had been discovered. According to the researchers, the coins may have been part of a large merchant ship trading with the coastal cities and ports in the Mediterranean, and the coins may have been used to pay the salaries of the [[Fatimid Caliphate|Fatimid]] military garrison.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2015-02-18|title=Israeli divers chance upon 'priceless' treasure on seabed|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31517433|access-date=2021-05-18}}</ref> In January 2021, researchers re-examined the coins discovered in 2015, and they retrieved hundreds more. The coins with Arabic text on both sides were 24 carat gold and 95 percent purity.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bradley|first=Charlie|date=2021-01-15|title=Archaeology breakthrough: Shipwreck treasure 'so valuable it's priceless' found in Israel|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1384582/archaeology-news-shipwreck-treasure-valuable-israel-spt|access-date=2021-05-18|website=Express.co.uk|language=en}}</ref>

A large compound, located in the archaeologists' Area CC, in the first [[Insula (Roman city)|''insula'']] of the Roman and Byzantine city south of the Crusader wall and close to the sea, along the ''[[Decumanus Maximus| decumanus]]'', was in use as the Roman ''[[praetorium]]'' of the [[Equestrian order| equestrian]] [[Procurator (Ancient Rome)#Fiscal officers |fiscal procurator]], and then became the seat of the [[Governor#Byzantium |Byzantine governor]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last= Patrich |first= Joseph |entry= A Government Compound in Roman-Byzantine Caesarea |encyclopedia= The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land (NEAEHL) |volume= 5 |year= 2008 |pages= 1668–1680 }}</ref> It contained a [[basilica]] with an apse, where magistrates would have sat, for the structure was used as a hall of justice, as fragments of inscriptions detailing the fees that court clerks might claim attest.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

A rare, colorful [[mosaic]] dating from the 2nd-3rd century CE was uncovered in 2018, in the Caesarea National Park near a Crusader bridge. It contains the image of three male figures wearing [[toga]]s, geometric patterns, as well as a largely damaged inscription in [[Greek language|Greek]]. It is one of the few extant examples of mosaics from that specific time period in Israel. The mosaic measures 3.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;8 [[meters]] and is, according to its excavators, "of a rare high quality" comparable to that of Israel's finest examples.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/rare-greek-inscription-and-colorful-1800-year-old-mosaic-uncovered-at-caesarea/|title=Rare Greek inscription and colorful 1,800-year-old mosaic uncovered at Caesarea|website=www.timesofisrael.com}}</ref>

In 1962, a team of Israeli and American archaeologists discovered in the sand of Caesarea three small fragments of one Hebrew stone inscription bearing the partial names of places associated with the [[priestly courses]] (the rest of which had been reconstructed), dated to the third-fourth centuries. The uniqueness of this discovery is that it shows the places of residence in [[Galilee]] of the priestly courses, places presumably resettled by Jews after the [[First Jewish–Roman War]] under [[Hadrian]].<ref>{{cite journal |last= Avi-Yonah |first= Michael |title= A List of Priestly Courses from Caesarea |journal= Israel Exploration Journal |volume= 12 |issue= 2 |pages= 137–139 |jstor= 27924896 |date= 1962}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last= Avi-Yonah |first= Michael |title= The Caesarea Inscription of the Twenty-Four Priestly Courses |journal= Eretz-Israel: Archaeological, Historical and Geographical Studies |volume= L.A. Mayer Memorial Volume (1895-1959) |pages=24–28 |jstor= 23614642 |date=1964}} (Hebrew)</ref><ref>Samuel Klein, ''Barajta der vierundzwanzig Priester Abteilungen'' (Baraitta of the Twenty-Four Priestly Divisions), in: ''Beiträge zur Geographie und Geschichte Galiläas'', Leipzig 1909</ref><ref>Vardaman, E. Jerry and Garrett, J.L., ''The Teacher's Yoke'', Waco TX 1964</ref>

The main Byzantine church, an octagonal [[Martyrium (architecture)|martyrion]], was built in the [[Christianity in the 6th century|6th century]] and sited directly upon the podium that had supported Herod's [[Roman temple|temple]], as was a widespread Christian practice. The ''martyrion'' was richly paved and surrounded by small radiating enclosures. Archaeologists have recovered some foliate [[Capital (architecture)|capitals]] that included representations of the [[Christian cross|Cross]]. The site would in time be re-occupied, this time by a [[mosque]].

In 2005 excavators found a well-preserved 6th-century panel covered in an exquisite mosaic made of glass gold and coloured opaque glass [[tesserae]], used as a table, patterned with crosses and rosettes.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/1.4984722 ''Unique glass mosaic unveiled after restoration in Caesarea''], Haaretz, The Associated Press and Nadav Shragai, 28 January 2008, accessed 23 June 2019</ref><ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/hasite/images/iht_daily/D280108/250mosaic_Jes.jpg Haaretz, picture of the glass mosaic panel], accessed 23 June 2019</ref> In 2018, a significant hoard of 24 gold coins and a gold earring was unearthed and tentatively dated to 1101.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46429990 Rare gold coins found in Israeli city of Caesarea]. [[BBC News]], 3 December 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018</ref>