BET SHE'AN

Bet She'an is a another ancient city (7,000 to 8,000 years old) with a rich history.   It is strategically located near the Jordan River and Jesreel Valley, giving it both water (essential for ancient cities) and trade (roads from Jerusalem to the Galilee and from the coast to the inland areas were found in Bet She'an).  Originally settled in the fifth to sixth millennia BCE, Bet She'an has been conquered and/or settled by Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, Israelites, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Ottomans, and many others.  It's rich history is more than I can describe in this blog.

Model of Bet She'an.  This shows the size and scale of the city.

Bet She'an is found many times in the Bible.  the Philistines conquered the Jewish King Saul and his sons at nearby Mt. Gilboa.  To show the Israelites their might and power, the Philistines hung the bodies of Saul and his sons off the walls of Bet She'an.  It was a part of the Kingdom of Israel under King David and King Solomon.  Jesus would likely have come through Bet She'an on his journeys from Galilee to Jerusalem.

Panoramic view of Bet She'an from the top of the man-made hill/mountain
that was constructed to give the military a view of invading enemy forces

Bet She'an is over 370 acres, and there is too much to see in just an hour.  Most of what is above ground is from the Roman period.  I took so many photos (I won't bore you with them all) and decided to devote a separate post to Bet She'an so that you can see some of the wonders of the ruins that are being excavated.  Here are just a few:

Reading in the Theater (acoustics were phenomenal)

Intricately tiled floor in the center of
the shopping and trade area

One of the main roads into Bet She'an.
Notice the original Roman stone roadway.

Fake tree for the movie
"Jesus Christ Superstar",
a portion was filmed here

Roman column and cornice

At the top of the man-made mountain, views to the east, across the west bank and the Jordan River to the Kingdom of Jordan