City
Tiberias
ty-BEER-ee-us · Modern Tiberias, Israel
Tiberias is a city of the biblical world.
What is known
- Named once directly in the Gospels as the city on the Sea of Galilee's shore (John 6:23)
- Many Jews initially avoided the city since Antipas built it over an old burial ground, making it ritually unclean
- Later became a major center of rabbinic Judaism, where the Mishnah's companion the Jerusalem Talmud was compiled
History
- Founded
- Founded c. AD 20 by Herod Antipas as his capital, named in honor of Emperor Tiberius
- Population
- Estimated 6,000–12,000 residents in the 1st century AD, shortly after its founding by Herod Antipas
- Industry
- Fishing, hot springs/bathing, and regional administration
- Coordinates
- 32.7959° N, 35.5310° E
Rulers and powers
- Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee (founder) — 4 BC – AD 39
Archaeology
Excavations have uncovered a Roman theater seating roughly 7,000, a basilica, bathhouses, and a colonnaded street. Just south at Hamat Tiberias, three superimposed synagogues were found, the earliest from the 3rd century AD, with a 4th-century mosaic floor featuring a zodiac and Greek/Hebrew inscriptions.
Scripture references
- John 6:1
- John 6:23
- John 21:1
On a modern map
Further reading
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