Where is Caesarea in the Bible located?

Caesarea, also called Caesarea Maritima, was a major Roman port city on the Mediterranean coast in the ancient region of Judea. It is located in modern-day Israel, about halfway between modern Tel Aviv and Haifa.

What important biblical events happened in Caesarea?

Several key events occurred there, including the baptism of the Roman centurion Cornelius by Peter (Acts 10), marking the gospel's spread to Gentiles. The apostle Paul was also imprisoned in Caesarea for two years before his voyage to Rome (Acts 23:23-35, Acts 25-26).

Why is Caesarea significant in the New Testament?

Caesarea was a major administrative center and a crucial gateway for the gospel. Its role in the story of Cornelius (Acts 10) demonstrated that God's salvation through Jesus Christ was for all people, both Jews and Gentiles.

Caesarea

cityNew TestamentCoastal Plain

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Modern Name

Caesarea Maritima

Country

Israel

Region

Coastal Plain

Coordinates

32.5000, 34.8917

Caesarea is an ancient city mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Coastal Plain in modern-day Israel. Known today as Caesarea Maritima. It appears across 18 verses in Scripture.

Biblical History

Caesarea Maritima was the Roman administrative capital of Judea, built by Herod the Great between 22 and 10 BC on the Mediterranean coast and named in honor of Caesar Augustus. It plays a substantial role in the New Testament narrative, appearing across eighteen verses in the book of Acts. Philip the evangelist settled there (Acts 8:40; 21:8), and it was at Caesarea that the Roman centurion Cornelius received a divine vision leading to his conversion and baptism by Peter, marking the watershed moment when the gospel formally broke through ethnic barriers to reach Gentiles (Acts 10). The Roman governor Pontius Pilate resided in Caesarea, and the city was the seat of subsequent procurators including Felix and Festus. Paul was imprisoned at Caesarea for two years (Acts 24:27) and there made his famous defense before King Agrippa II (Acts 26), ultimately appealing to Caesar and being shipped to Rome. Caesarea thus served as both a gateway for the gospel's westward movement and a crucible of apostolic suffering and witness.

Archaeological & Historical Notes

Caesarea Maritima has been extensively excavated since the 1950s by Israeli, American, and international teams, making it one of the best-documented Herodian cities in the ancient world. Excavations have uncovered Herod's massive artificial harbor (Sebastos), a Roman theater, amphitheater, hippodrome, warehouses, and a remarkably preserved praetorium complex. The Pontius Pilate inscription, discovered in 1961 in secondary use in the theater, provides the only contemporary archaeological attestation of the Roman prefect who condemned Jesus to crucifixion. Underwater archaeology in the harbor has revealed Herod's extraordinary hydraulic engineering, including the use of pozzolana concrete set in seawater. The site is today a national park and continues to yield significant finds from the Herodian, Byzantine, and Crusader periods.

Verse Appearances (18)

Acts

Acts 8:40 Acts 9:30 Acts 10:1 Acts 10:24 Acts 11:11 Acts 12:19 Acts 18:22 Acts 21:8 Acts 21:16 Acts 23:23 Acts 23:32 Acts 23:33 Acts 24:1 Acts 25:1 Acts 25:4 Acts 25:6 Acts 25:13 Acts 25:24

Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →

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