Characters: Philip the evangelist Primary Scriptures: Acts 9:40 Story Summary: A description of the influential city of Caesarea Location: Roman Empire; Caesare Time: 10 BC Caesarea founded by Herod the Great 30 AD Death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Pentecost. 48 AD Council of Jerusalem Two cities in Israel had remarkable influence on the growth of the early church. The first was Jerusalem, the home of the Temple and the Jewish leadership. The church started in Jerusalem, but soon began to spread to other places because of persecution by the Jewish leaders. The second most influential city in Israel was Caesarea, a port city on the Mediterranean Sea. Caesarea was built by Herod the Great shortly before the birth of Jesus. As the only deep-water port on the west coast of Israel, it exerted tremendous influence over Israel’s economy, and Herod’s ownership of the city was a main cause of his immense wealth. Caesarea was on the Via Maris, the most famous trading route across Israel. The ancient Via Maris went north out of Egypt, up the coast of Israel, and north through Lebanon. One important spur off of the Via Maris went northeast to the Sea of Galilee, along the north edge by Capernaum, north past Hazor, and east to Damascus. In Damascus it met up with the King’s Highway. Although the Bible never mentions the Via Maris by name, it is clear that the trading route controlled many aspects of life in Israel. It was probably the reason why Jesus chose to locate his ministry in Capernaum and was instrumental in Israel having a good economy in the time of Herod the Great. Caesarea’s location and function as a deep-water port made it an ideal hub for spreading the Gospel. Philip the Evangelist probably lived in Caesarea during virtually all of his ministry. He is one reason that Caesarea was such a critical city for the Christians: instead of Philip having to travel, the travelers came to Philip—a strategy Paul would use in Ephesus. Eyewitness Bible Series