Study Tour 2013: Caesarea – Megiddo - Nazareth

Today we left Jerusalem bound for Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. First stop was Caesarea a trading port on the Mediterranean. Caesarea was also known for Herod’s palace. Herod was a great architect. He also designed an aqueduct to bring water to Caesarea from some 17 km away.

After a brief stop in Caesarea we continued to Megiddo. The city of Megiddo was on top of a hill overlooking the valley of Jazreal, a very fertile valley. Megiddo was a very strong city, that was difficult to conquer, as they had many horses and chariots and a great position to control the trade routes between north and south Canaan.

From Megiddo we travelled to the town of Sepphoris near Nazareth. Sepphoris was much larger than Nazareth. In Jesus time Sepphoris had a population of some 20 000 people while Nazareth only 400 people. It is possible that Jesus and Joseph may have come to work from Nazareth to Sepphoris. The town had a market place, shops and a Roman theatre.

Nazareth today is a Palestinian city. Over the place where Mary (Jesus mother) lived is a large church. The design is interesting as the cave house is built over by the church.

Finally after Nazareth we bused it to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. We are staying in a very nice hotel over looking the Sea of Galilee, (well really a large lake. 20km long and 10km wide).

Tonight our Jewish guide Israel, opened Sabbath with a traditional Jewish prayer, blessing.