Bethsaida

Bethsaida ( "House of the catch " or " house hunting " ) is a village in the ancient Gaulanitis the Sea of ​​Galilee. Known as the place of birth of the Apostle Peter, Andrew and Philip (Jn 1.44 EU). The ruins of the ancient village were discovered by Bargil Pixner during excavations in 1987 on the hill et- Tell.

Location

Et -Tell is located just north of the Sea of ​​Galilee at the point where the River Jordan flows into the lake. It is about 1.5 km from the present shore of the lake. The Tell covers an area of approximately 80,000 square meters.

Settlement periods

Already the first excavations under the archaeologists from the University of Haifa R. Arav in the years 1987 and 1989 made ​​it clear that the site in ancient times was inhabited during the following periods: In the early Bronze Age (c. 3300-2300 BC), the Iron Age (ca. 1000-587 BC) and the Hellenistic- Roman period ( 336-30 BC).

Iron Age

The archaeologists have previously assumed that Bethsaida was founded about 1000 BC. Due to the size and importance of the finds from this period, the place could have been the capital of the kingdom of Geshur. So they found the remains of a strong wall up to 6 meters. Most important, however, is the discovery of the gate system, which consisted of an inner and outer gate, and a Toraltar ( Bima ) before the inner gate. To the altar includes a basalt stele with the image of a bull with a dagger, probably intended to represent the Aramean god Haddad. The city was by the Assyrian king Tiglath -pileser III. in the year 734 BC conquered ( 2 Kings 15, 29 ).

Hellenistic - Roman period

We learn something by Flavius ​​Josephus on the importance Bethsaida. He reports that the name was changed by King Philip in honor of the wife of the Emperor Augustus in Julia Livia. From this period, several houses were exposed. Many devices that were used for fishing, point to the importance of fishing to the economy of the place. Remains of an existing building of limestone and the Fund of incense shovels in its ruins are interpreted by scientists as remnants of the temple, built the King Philip in honor of Julia Livia.