Cesarea, or Caesarea Maritima, lies quietly on the deep blue Mediterranean shore of Israel, where the sound of the waves is like the steady breath of history.
Although more than two millennia have passed, this land still retains the majesty and mystery of a city that once brought glory to the Roman Empire.
Walking through Cesarea today, one feels like stepping into an ancient book, where each page is a layer of relics stacked on top of each other through the ages.
In ancient times, this was just a small Phoenician settlement called “Tower of Straton,” It was not until King Herod the Great came to power, around 22 BC, that this coastal land was transformed into a massive port city.
Herod devoted much effort to building Cesarea, naming it after the emperor he revered - Caesar Augustus.
With his talent and vision beyond his time, the king built an artificial seaport using hydraulic cement - a rare advanced technology at that time - to create one of the largest commercial centers in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In the following centuries, Cesarea flourished under Roman and then Byzantine rule.
Cobblestone streets, magnificent buildings, theaters, racecourses, bustling markets… were all that once made this city prosperous.
Cesarea became the administrative capital of Judea, an important commercial, cultural and religious hub for the entire region.
Countless thinkers and religious leaders have visited here, leaving profound marks on the history of early Christianity.
However, like many other ancient cities, Cesarea was not spared the ravages of war and time. The upheavals of the ages brought the city to decline.
During the Middle Ages, when the Crusaders occupied, they added walls and fortresses, creating a solid, quiet appearance that visitors can still see today on the moss-covered grey stone walls.
Yet perhaps the most beautiful part of Cesarea is the resonance between ancient ruins and modern sea and sky. Under the Mediterranean sun, the ancient Roman theater appears with its arched stone benches as if still echoing somewhere the cheers of ancient audiences.
Not far away, the foundations of Herod's palace lie at the water's edge, where a seaside pool once reflected the brilliant sunlight of its heyday.
And if you walk along the coast, you will easily come across the remains of the racecourse - where wooden wheels once raced in thrilling races.
Every step on that stone floor makes one feel more clearly the breath of the past.
Cesarea is today a national park, a great destination for those who love history and exploration .
The coastal path stretches between sunshine and salty breeze, cafes overlooking the sea, diving services to see underwater ruins - all create an experience that is both ancient and modern.
There, visitors can leisurely sit by the beach, letting the waves tell the two-thousand-year-old story of this city.
Looking at Cesarea, one can easily realize that history is never just numbers or events on a page.
History here has form, color, breath, and echoes of the civilizations that once intersected.
Cesarea is not just an ancient fortress or a Roman trading port; it is a living witness of time, a meeting point between the past and the present, between the prosperity of the past and the peace of today./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cesarea-thanh-pho-la-ma-ngu-yen-ben-bo-bien-israel-post1081554.vnp
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