Page 26 - A Walk to Caesarea / Joseph Patrich

12 Historical Review
a

Fig. 14a–b b

(a) Proposed reconstruction
of the north-south
colonnaded street (cardo)
of the Roman city that
underlies the eastern wall
of the Crusaders city

(b) East-west street S2,
looking toward the west

paving stones. The street was some 5 m wide, and bordered by kerbstones, but there
were no pedestrian walks. The streets were bound on either side by buildings, and
a sewer ran beneath them (Fig. 14b). A water supply system consisting of lead and
ceramic pipes, also running underneath the paved streets, was added later in the
Roman period. The dimensions of the building blocks (insulae) in the southwestern
zone were c. 95 x 65 m, equal to 300 x 200 feet (a foot measuring 31 cm).

The public buildings included a temple dedicated to Augustus and Rome,
containing two large statues, markets (agorai), two entertainment structures: a
stone theater and an amphitheater – actually a hippodrome/stadium (a hippo-
stadium), which was located south of the harbor, facing the sea. For his residence
Herod built a royal palace (basileia) (Figs. 15a–b). The building project lasted 12
years (22–10/9 BCE), during which, in 15 BCE, the city was visited by Agrippa –
emperor Augustus’ right-hand man. Herod entertained him there and elsewhere
throughout his kingdom, proudly presenting his buildings.