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Historical Sites In The Holy Land Coin Series

CAESAREA - 1988. Located on the Mediterranean coast south of Haifa, the ancient maritime city of Caesarea was built in 20 BCE by Herod the Great in honor of Caesar Augustus. The historian Josephus vividly describes Caesarea's splendors: the palace, temple, amphitheater, hippodrome, port, aqueducts, and other monumental structures, (Antiquities XV, 9, 6).

Caesarea figured prominently in the lives of early Christians such as Philip the Evangelist (Acts XXI, 8), Peter and Paul. It was in Caesarea that the Jewish revolt against the Romans began in 66 CE. During the Bar Kochba rebellion in 132 CE, several Jewish sages were tortured to death in Caesarea, including the famous Rabbi Akiva (after whom the nearby town of Or Akiva is named).

Caesarea thrived once again during the Crusader period. The city was rebuilt and the harbor was fortified. Successively captured by Baldwin I, Saladin, and Richard the Lionheart, Caesarea was finally demolished by the Mameluke Sultan Bibaras in 1265.

The modern visitor to the reconstructed archeological site will discover the remarkable remains of every period in Caesarea's illustrious history. The Roman amphitheater today hosts regular live concerts and performances. The whole area has been developed into a modern tourist center, including a luxury hotel, golf course, restaurants, bathing beach and vacation homes.
Description of the Coin
Obverse: graphic depletion of the archeological ruins in Caesarea; Capital of a pillar, decorated with a Menorah, from the Jewish Synagogue. The Amphitheater, Crusader Fortress, ancient port and Roman Aqueduct. The word "Caesarea" in Hebrew and Latin characters.

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A.I.N.A.
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