Caesarea's completed harbor city is dedicated
About this date: Josephus places the dedication in Herod's 28th regnal year. The marker concerns the celebration after years of construction.
Herod celebrates the completion of Caesarea with games, public hospitality, and a festival honoring Caesar. The coastal city becomes a major setting for later Roman and Christian history.
Historical context
The dedication belongs to Herod's wider pattern of urban patronage. Caesarea Maritima should not be confused with Caesarea Philippi inland.
Key points
- The event marks completion rather than the first building work.
- Josephus describes a recurring festival.
- The city's name publicly expresses the relationship with Caesar.
People
- Herod the Great
- Augustus
Sources and further reading
- Jewish Antiquities, Book XVI
Dedication festival and Josephus's interpretation of royal benefaction.