Caesarea

Located south of modern-day Haifa, Caesarea was an important biblical seaport. Named in honour of Caesar Augustus, it was built by Herod the Great between 25 and 13 B.C. and equipped with a man-made breakwater, still visible in part today.

Pilate had his residence here while he was governor, or prefect, of Judea. Philip preached here Acts 8:26-40 ; Peter came to Caesarea to the household of Cornelius Acts 10 ; Acts 11:1-18 ; Herod Agrippa 1 came to an untimely end here Acts 12:18-25 ; after his conversion, Paul escaped from here to his hometown of Tarsus Acts 9: 26-30; Paul returned here twice from his missionary journeys Acts 18:18-22 ; Acts 21: 1-15. Paul returned here for trial Acts 23: 11-35, spending two years in prison before making his famous defence here before Festus and Agrippa Acts 25: 22 - 26: 32. Finally, he left from Caesarea in chains to appeal his case to the Emperor in Rome.