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صفحة: 60
Caesarea King Herod , who was appointed by the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar to rule Israel , was ancient Israel’s greatest builder . In 22 BCE , he completed the majestic port city of Caesarea . The city featured an open-air theater , palaces , temples , a hippodrome , and an aqueduct . More than 100 , 000 people lived in Herod’s Caesarea . It was one of the largest cities in the world at that time . Herod named Caesarea in honor of the Roman emperor . He spared no expense—never before had such a large artificial harbor been built . The port lasted for over 1 , 000 years . It became run-down and was restored by the Crusaders—Christian soldiers who conquered the Land of Israel from the Muslims who controlled it 900 years ago . Want to see Caesarea’s original port ? You’ll have to bring your scuba-diving equipment ! The ancient harbor is now completely underwater . Excavations in 1978 showed that Herod’s engineers used concrete that could harden in water . Today , the open-air theater at Caesarea seats 5 , 000 people and is the site of dance and music performances , including rock concerts and operas . Hippodromes are stadiums in which horse and chariot races were held in ancient times . The hippodrome at Caesarea could seat 20 , 000 people . An aqueduct is an artificial channel used to move water .
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