Caesarea is located on the Mediterranean sea, north of Tel Aviv. The area was inhabited as a small village named Straton's Tower (see Josephus' Jewish War, I:21,5) before it was given to Herod the Great in 30 BCE. Herod renamed the town Caesarea in honor of Octavian Augustus Caesar, and made plans to rebuild the area as an important port and Roman city. The construction took 12 years and included the development of the largest protected harbor on the Eastern Mediterranean coast, a palace complex that jutted out into the Sea, an ampitheatre and hippodrome, a temple, and a network of planned roads and residential areas. The city's inaguration in 10 BCE was a major celebration, and the city grew quickly to a population of more than 125,000.
The Great Revolt that erupted in 66 CE was partially caused by conflicts between Jews and Romans in Caesarea. After the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70, Caesarea became the most important city in Israel. It also served as a center of Roman power during the Bar Kokhba Revolt in the 2nd century.
Caesarea later had prominence during the Crusades and was finally destroyed and deserted in 1265.
Link: Official Caesarea Dig website.
Link: Jewish Virtual Library site.
Link: Virtual Caesarea.
Link: Wikipedia entry on Caesarea.
