Khirbet Kanaf

This site is located on the Golan heights, above the north-east side of the sea of Galilee. This site is the ruins of an Arab village which was built on top of a Roman synagogue. Walking through the ruins brings the sensations of living in the Biblical times.

Em-Hakshatot

Ruins of a Byzantine village located in the southern Golan heights. The site has a spring that flows out of a double-arches structure, and also ruins of a grand Roman period synagogue.

Kefar Yehudiye  (Sogana)

Ruins of a Roman village located in the central Golan heights.  This site is identified as Sogana, one of the villages that were forified during the great revolt against the Romans.

Josephus Flavius, War 2:  20: 6: "...in Gaulonitis he fortified Seleucia, and Sogane, and Gamala"

Dolmens in the Golan

In the Golan there are hundreds of prehistoric megalith tombs erected in the fields.

Roman Roads in the Golan

The Romans built roads thru the Golan heights, establishing efficient link from Israel to Syria

Bethsaida

  The ruins of the village are located on a hill, above the delta of the upper Jordan river, a fertile area with many ancient villages. It was a fishermen town, and the site of Jesus' two miracles.

Mark 8:22: "And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him..."

Khirbet e-Dikke

      Ruins of a late Roman village, located near the upper Jordan river in the fertile valley of BethSaida (Bettiha).

Coins from Bethsaida

   This web page presents some of the coins found in the Bethsaida excavations.

Gamla (Gamala)

   Gamla, a large fortified city located on a high ridge above a crossing of two gorges,  is one of the famous cities where Jewish rebels fought bravely against the Romans until their fatal end. Its story  is well detailed in Josephus historical accounts.

Josephus (War 4, 1 1): "Gamala ... was situated upon a rough ridge of a high mountain".

Banias (Caesarea Philippi)

   An impressive Greco-Roman city located near a flowing spring - one of the sources of the Jordan river on the foothills of the Hermon mountain. A Roman sanctuary, which included temples and ritual courtyards,  was built near the sacred grotto of Pan.

Khorvat Omrit

   A newly discovered Roman imperial temple complex, south-west of Banias (Caesarea-Philippi). Its temple is identified as the Augusteum described by Josephus and built by Herod.

Josephus (Wars 1 21):"...he (Herod) built there also a temple of white marble, hard by the fountains of Jordan".

Banias Temples

   A Roman sanctuary, which included temples and ritual courtyards,  was built near the sacred grotto of Pan.

 Josephus (Wars 1 21 3): "... the place is called Panium, where is a top of a mountain that is raised to an immense height, and at its side, beneath, or at its bottom, a dark cave opens itself".

Banias (Hermon) Stream

     Along the upper section of the Banias (Hermon) stream are a number of interesting sites, including Roman bridge, HydroElectric station, flour mill and more.

Banias Crusaders city

     The Crusaders fortified the frontier city of Banias in the 12th C. Sections of its gate, walls and towers are located in the ruins of the ancient city.

        The Nimrod fortress (Qal'at Namrud, Qal'at Subeiba) is one of the largest and most impressive fortresses in Israel. The fortress guarded the main road from Damascus to Tyre and Tiberias, and was an Arab stronghold which was constructed in order to block the Crusaders.

Banias - Roman/Byzantine city

      This page focuses on the Roman and Byzantine city in Banias. 

  Ant 20 9 4: "About this time it was that king Agrippa built Cesarea Philippi larger than it was before, and, in honor of Nero, named it Neronlas."