Page 146 - A Walk to Caesarea / Joseph Patrich

132 Archaeological Review

Description of the Harbor (Fig. 148a–c)

The whole sea-board from Dora and Joppa, midway between which this city lies, was without a harbour, so that
vessels bound for Egypt along the coast of Phoenicia had to ride at anchor in the open when menaced by the south-
wind; for even a moderate breeze from this quarter dashes the waves to such a height against the cliffs, that their reflux
spreads a wild commutation far out to sea. However, by dint of expenditure and enterprise, the king triumphed over
nature and constructed a harbour larger than was the Piraeus, including other deep road-steads within its recesses.

Notwithstanding the totally recalcitrant nature of the site, he grappled with the difficulties so successfully, that
the solidity of his masonry defied the sea, while its beauty was such as if no obstacle has existed. Having determined
upon the comparative size of the harbor as we have stated, he had blocks of stone let down into twenty fathom of
water, most of them measuring fifty feet in length by nine in depth and ten in breadth, some being even larger. Upon
the submarine foundation thus laid he constructed above the surface a mole two hundred feet broad; of which one
hundred were built out to break the surge, whence this portion was called the break-water (prokymia), while the
remainder supported a a stone wall encircling the harbour. From this wall arose, at intervals, massive towers, the
loftiest and most magnificent of which was called Drusion after the step-son of Caesar.

Numerous inlets/vaulted chambers in the wall provided landing-places for mariners putting in to harbor, while the
whole circular terrace fronting these channels/vaults served as a broad promenade for disembarking passengers. The
entrance to the port faced northwards, because in these latitudes the north wind is the most favorable of all. At the
harbor mouth stood colossal statues, three on either side, resting on columns; the columns on the left of vessels
entering port were supported by a massive tower, those on the right by two upright blocks of stone clamped together,
whose height exceeded that of the tower on the opposite side (War, I, 21, 5–7 – 409–413, tr. LCL)

What was greatest of all [works] and required the most labour [was] a well-protected harbour, of the size of Piraeus,
with landing-places and secondary anchorages inside. But what was especially notable about this construction was
that he got no material suitable for so great a work from the place itself but completed it with materials brought from
outside at great expense. Now this city is located in Phoenicia, on the sea-route to Egypt, between Joppa and Dora.
These are small towns on the seashore and are poor harbours because the south-west wind beats on them and always
dredges up sand from the sea upon the shore, and thus does not permit a smooth landing; instead, it is usually
necessary for merchants to ride unsteadily at anchor off shore. To remedy this inconvenient feature of the land Herod
laid out a circular harbor enclosing enough space for large fleets to lie at anchor near shore, and (along this line) he
sank enormous rocks to a depth of twenty fathoms. Most of these rocks were fifty feet in length, and no less than
eighteen in breadth, and nine in depth, some of them being larger, some smaller than that. The structure which he set
in the sea as a barrier was two hundred feet (in width). Half of it was opposed to the surge of the waves and held off
the flood of waters breaking there from all sides, and was therefore called a breakwater (prokymia/prokymatia). The
other half, supported on a stone wall, was divided at intervals by towers, of which the largest, a very handsome thing,
is called Drusus, taking its name from Drusus, the stepson of Caesar, who died young. Into it had been built a series
of vaulted recesses as shelters for sailors. And before them there was a wide quay which encircled the harbor and
was a very pleasant place to walk around for those who wished to do so. The entrance or mouth of the harbour was
made to face north, for this wind always brings the clearest weather. The foundation of the whole circular wall on the
left of those sailing into the harbor was a tower resting upon piled stones as a broad firm base to withstand pressure
(from the water), while on the right were two great stone blocks, larger than the tower on the other side, which were
upright, and joined together (Antiquities XV, 9, 6 - 332–338, tr. LCL).