Caesarea -- This city was the Capitol of the Holy Land during the Roman and Byzantine periods. It was the home of Phillip and his prophetess daughters after he baptized the Ethiopian eunuch. This was also the home of Cornelius the Centurion, the first Gentile to be converted to Christianity (Acts 10). The Apostle Paul arrived in Caesarea after leaving Jerusalem in his ministry to the Gentiles. Later, he would be imprisoned in Caesarea and sent to trial in Rome (Acts 27).
During the first centuries of the Christian era, Caesarea had a thriving Christian community that included churches, religious institutions, and centers of education. Some of the most important leaders and scholars of the early church lived in this seat of Roman government.
Today, travelers can visit the large Roman theater, Crusader-era walls and harbor, and the seat of Pontius Pilate.
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