Beit She'an

 Beit She'an (or Beth Shean) is really a fascinating place to visit.  Because of it's strategic location and the fertile land that surrounds it, this city was inhabited all through out history by many different nations such as the Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, Israelites, Greeks and Romans.

The Romans rebuilt the city making it the capital city of the Decapolis until it was finally abandoned in 794 AD after a severe earthquake devastated the city. Over time the whole city became buried under layers of dirt and debris where it lay hidden from the world until around 1922 when excavations of the city began.

road along the city gates

Roman Bath House Remains

Mosaic and marble flooring 

Scripture mentions that when the city was in Philistine hands, it was on the gates of this city that the bodies of Saul and his son Jonathan were hanged after the Philistines defeated the Israelites in battle on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:10-14). King David later took hold of Beth Shean, driving the Philistines out, and 1Kings 4:12 mentions Beth Shean as part of Solomon's kingdom.

Egyptian temples and building were located on the top of that hill

 Evidence has been found that during the Roman- Byzantine period there was a significant Christian population in this city even though it was largely a pagan city at the time with temples to Roman gods, etc. The photo on the left below shows remains of a Christian baptismal in the city.

Amphitheater

 I just loved visiting this site because you can really get a feel for just how big and beautiful this city would have been as you walk down the main street where the shops would have been set up, walk through the bath houses, temples, theater, entrance gates, etc. It's overwhelming when you try to think about how OLD this place is and just how MUCH history is in this one location, starting with Thutmose III in the 15th century BC through the reign of King David and Solomon around 1000 - 975 BC and then the Roman rule during the time of the early church a little after the time of Christ. It's mind blowing to see ruins like this and think about all the civilizations that have come and gone here through out the ages. It puts this life in perspective for me. This whole culture we live in, the nation we are apart of is just one small moment in the broad scope of history. No empire or civilization will stand forever, no man can live forever. Man is like the flower in the field, here for a moment and then gone. But the Word of the Lord will stand forever.

The Roman Cardio or main street in the city