Town

Transliterated Name	Language	Name
Banias	Hebrew	בניאס
Banyas	Hebrew	בניאס
Banias	Arabic	بانياس الحولة
Paneas	Ancient Greek	Πανεάς
Panion
Panias
Paneas
Paneias
Caesarea Philippi
Caesarea Panias
Caesareia Sebaste hiera kai asulos hupo Paneiou	Latin
Neronias
Mizvar Dan
Medinat Dan
Dan dKisrin
Keisarion
Kisrin
Belinas	French Crusader

Cave

Transliterated Name	Language	Name
To Paneion	Ancient Greek
Pamias	Ancient Jewish Sources
Panias	Ancient Jewish Sources

• from Zvi Uri Ma'oz in Stern et. al., 1993 v.1

The ancient name of Banias - spelled Panias, Paneas, Paneias in Greek and Latin - is the feminine form of the Greek adjective Πανειον, referring to the grotto of Pan (Πανειον αντρον or απηλαιον). This name denotes not only the town, but also the region and the Jordan sources flowing from the silt (cf. Pliny NH V, 71, 74). Because the grotto and water sources can still be seen, the remains of the town and sanctuary could be located, and the Arabic place name - Banias - survived, there is no question about the site's exact identification.

In the medieval period the Jews living here identified the place with biblical Dan and issued their letters, found in the Cairo Genizah, from Mizvar Dan (Dan fortress) or Medinat Dan (city of Dan). In about 1170 CE, the traveler Benjamin of Tudela even saw the place of the altar of Micah (cf. Jg. 18:29-31) in front of the cave. This identification had earlier appeared in Jewish and Christian sources from the Roman-Byzantine period as the designation "Dan dKisrin" (Jerusalem Targum, Gen. 14:14; Jerome, in Hiezech. L. XIV, 48, 21-22; CCSL 75, 739; correctly differentiated, however, by Eus., Onom. 76, 6-8). This erroneous identification, as well as other biblical names suggested for the presumed pre-Hellenistic site - Baal-Gad (Jos. 11:17) and Beth-Rehob (Jg. 18:28) - were refuted on historical-geographical grounds. Furthermore, even the existence of such an early site is doubtful because, to date, no pre-Hellenistic pottery has been found in the extensive surveys conducted.

The polis built here by Herod's son Philip in 2 BCE was named Caesarea in honor of the emperor Augustus (Josephus, War II, 168; Antiq. XVIII, 28) and, to differentiate it from the one on the coast, was referred to as Caesarea of Philip (Mt. 16:13; Mk. 8:27; and many other sources). It was renamed Neronias by Agrippa II (Antiq. XX, 211; and coins), but the name that eventually took root, especially in the second and third centuries, was Caesarea Panias (Ptolemy V, 15, 21 and VIII, 20, 12; CIG 4750, 4921; Waddington 1620b; Tabula Peutingeriana). The coins struck at Panias from Marcus Aurelius [r.161-180 CE] to Elagabalus [r. 218-222 CE] carry the official name: Caes (areia) Seb(aste) hier(a) kai asu(los) hupo Paneiou. In ancient Jewish sources the town is called Keisarion or Kisrin and the cave Pamias or Panias. From the fourth century onward, the name Caesarea disappears entirely and the city is referred to simply as Panias (cf. Eusebius). In Islamic sources, the site is called Baniyas, and in the French Crusaders' sources, Belinas.

• from Zvi Uri Ma'oz in Stern et. al., 1993 v.1

To Paneion - the grotto dedicated to Pan - is first mentioned by Polybius (Hist. XVI, 18, 2; XXVIII, I, 3) in connection with Antiochus III, who gained a decisive victory here in 200 BCE over the Egyptian general Scopas. As a result of this victory, Palestine fell under Seleucid rule. From this reference alone, the inference is that a cult place for Pan had already been installed in the cave in the third century BCE, perhaps by the Ptolemies. A Paneion was constructed in Alexandria by Ptolemy II Philadelphus (Strabo, Geog. XVII 1, 10), and Pan was worshiped elsewhere in Egypt. The cult of Pan (identified with the Egyptian Min) was part of the Ptolemaic dynastic cult of Dionysos. The introduction of a Pan cult at Banias may have been a successful attempt to compete with and replace the ancient Semitic cult place at Dan, a mere 4 km (2.5 mi.) away, still active in the fourth to third centuries BCE.

In the late second and first centuries BCE, the territory around Banias was part of the Iturean kingdom, which centered on the Lebanon Beqa'a and was enlarged by Ptolemy son of Mennaeus (80-45 BCE). Following Pompey's conquest, Ptolemy's territory was reduced and carved into smaller territories. Banias, with Mount Hermon, the northern Golan, and the northern Hula Valley, was first ruled by Lysanias, son of Ptolemy (40-34 BCE), and later by one Zenodorus, possibly Lysanias' son. On his death in 20 BCE, the territory of Lysanias was granted to Herod (Strabo, Geog. XVI, 2, 10; Josephus, Antiq. XIV, 330; XV, 344-364).

Near the grotto of Pan, Herod built a temple in honor of Augustus (Josephus, War I, 404; Antiq. XV, 363, cf. below). Upon Herod's death in 4 BCE, Banias and its territory became part of the tetrarchy of his son Philip. Philip founded a city here, named Caesarea, to serve as a capital of his extensive kingdom, which comprised Golan, Trachon, Hauran, and Batanea (Antiq. XVII, 189, 319; XVIII, 28; War II, 95, 168). Caesarea was probably the first extensive settlement on the site, where construction thus far had probably been limited to the area of the temple of Augustus. A. Stein recently fixed the city's foundation year to 2/1 BCE. On one of his coins, Philip is called KTIC(THS) (founder), in all likelihood alluding to the founding of Caesarea. Other coins issued by him depict the temple of Augustus. With the death of Philip in 34 CE, Banias came under direct Roman rule for several years, in the Province of Syria, except for a brief interregnum in 37 to 44 CE, when it was governed by Agrippa I. In 53 CE, it was bestowed upon Agrippa II as part of Philip's former territory. Agrippa II refounded the city in 61 CE as Neronias (Antiq. XX, 211) and ruled it until his death in 92/93 CE.

First-century CE Banias, a predominantly pagan city of lturean and Phoenician ethnic makeup, was the seat of the king and the governor. Josephus narrates that the town's Jewish community was imprisoned during the First Jewish Revolt against the Romans (66-70 CE). By order of Varus, the local strategus, they were later massacred, as were the Jewish elders of Batanea, who came to appeal for peace there (Life 51-61, 74). Besides a Jewish community in the town, Jewish population in villages also is inferred from Jesus' visit to the territory ((Mt. 16:13; Mk. 8:27). Vespasian rested his troops here and rendered thank-offerings in the temple (War III, 443-444). After the war, Titus remained here for some time, during which many Jewish prisoners perished in wild beast and gladiator combats (War VII, 23-24).

Following the death of Agrippa II, Banias reverted to direct Roman rule in the province Syria-Phoenicia (and later in Phoenicia Prima). Banias' city-territory extended in the west to the foot of the Upper Galilee mountains and bordered the territory of Tyre. Toward the south, reaching Palaestina, the border passed to the south of Lake Hula and eastward up to the Golan. In the east, it included the northern Golan Heights as far as Khader and Quneitra, bordering the territory of Damascus. In the north, it included the valley of Marj 'Ayun, as far as Burghuz.

The town's history in the second and third centuries is only glimpsed from coins, a few inscriptions, and rare textual allusions. Apart from Pan, Tyche appears on the city's coins of Agrippa II, Septimius Severus and Julia Soemias. In the latter coins, Tyche appears inside a tetrastyle temple with a Syrian gable. Nemesis was also worshiped, as an inscription from the sanctuary reveals. Zeus, perhaps assimilated with Pan (Diopan), is depicted on coins from Marcus Aurelius [r.161-180 CE] to Elagabalus [r. 218-222 CE]; on some, he appears inside a tetrastyle temple with a gabled roof.

Inscriptions from the sanctuary of Pan indicate construction activities here by the priest Valerius Titianus and in 148/149 CE by the priest Victor, son of Lysimachos (IG Rom. III, 1109; Brunnow-Domaszewski 2, 249). The town's Latin component, inferred from Victor's name, is also indicated by the presence of other Latin inscriptions. An inscription of 221 CE (Waddington, no. 1894) mentions a certain Agrippa, priest of Pan and archon, and two other βονλεται , or members of the city council (βονλη). These titles indicate the institutions of a polis. A recently found lead weight inscribed "a local third pound of Marinos" probably referred to the town's agoranomos. Other personal names that appear on inscribed gravestones - Marcellinus, Iulianus, and Theophilus - indicate that the population was fully Hellenized. The Jewish community in the town is alluded to, in the early second century, by the sukkah of Rabbi Yohanan son of Rabbi Ila'i (B.T. Suk. 27b). Banias was considered outside the halakhic boundaries of Palestine, and a list of "forbidden" edible species was compiled for use by its Jewish inhabitants (Tosefta Shev. 4:11; J.T. Shev. 36c).

Jewish legends connect the emperor Diocletian to Banias. One places his residence here, to which Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi II was summoned on the eve of the Sabbath (Bereshit Rab. 63, 8; J.T. Ter. 8:10-46b). Another recounts that the people of Banias, under heavy taxation, petitioned the emperor and threatened to flee (J.T. Shev. 9:2-38d).

There is a midrash that alludes to the gate of a city wall(?) or perhaps of a sanctuary that would fall with the arrival of the Messiah. The other sign is that the Banias waters would turn to blood (B.T. San. 98a). That these waters served as a sort of hydromanteion (oracle of water) is inferred from Eusebius' account (HEVII, 17) of a pagan festival in which a victim was thrown in to the waters, became invisible, and then miraculously reappeared.

Christianity reached Banias at an early date: according to tradition, the town's first bishop was a contemporary of Saint Paul's. The Christian community was well established in the early fourth century, when Bishop Philocalus attended the council of Nicea in 325 CE. Several other bishops are known in the fourth and fifth centuries. At the gates of the house of the woman healed from the issue of blood (Mt. 9:20), Eusebius saw a sculpted couple in which a kneeling woman, with hands outstretched in supplication, turns to an erect figure of Jesus (HE VII, 18). This couple is likely to have been Isis and Serapis in a Christian mantle. The statue was still seen in the local church in the early sixth century CE.

In the Early Arab period, Banias was the capital of the district of el-Jaulan in the province of Damascus. Its territory had many villages, of which those in the Hula region produced cotton and rice and together with those in the Jaulan are said to have provided Damascus with most of its victuals. The population of Banias increased when Muslims from the Tarsus region settled here after the fall of that city in 965 CE. The two Jewish communities at Banias, one Karaite and the other rabbinic, are attested to in several Cairo Genizah documents. One is a court authorization signed by the elders. Another letter alludes to the destruction of the city by the earthquake that devastated the entire country in 1033 CE.

The medieval fortifications at Banias seem originally to have been of Fatimid construction. According to Ibn el-Qalanisi, the city was given by the ruler of Damascus to the Isma'ili sect (known as the Assassins) in 1126. Its leader, Bahram, set out to repair the ruined walls. Isma'il "the Persian," successor of Bahramin the sect leadership, offered the city to the Crusaders in 1129, in return for asylum for the sect's members. The offer was accepted by King Baldwin II [r. 1118-1131 CE], who gave Banias as dominion to Rainier of Brus (William of Tyre, XIV, 19). The fortifications were strengthened and manned by a substantial garrison in order to hold out against Damascene attacks. However, in December 1132, Shams el-Mulk captured the city, in the absence of most of its knights, and returned it to Damascus. In the 1130s the ruler of Banias, Ibrahim ibn Turghut, rebelled against Damascus and capitulated to Zengi, the ruler of Mosul. In fear of this threat, the emir of Damascus offered the city back to the Franks. In May 1140, a combined Christian-Muslim force brought about the surrender of the town, following a one-month siege. In the following decade, the Crusader town became a meeting place and hunting lodge for Muslim and Frankish nobles. The city withstood a siege by Nured-Din in 1153. Humphrey of Toron [II], who acquired Banias by marrying the daughter of Rainier of Brus, gave half of the city and its region to the Hospitallers in 1157. However, after a convoy of theirs was annihilated by Nur ed-Din, they withdrew from the contract. In May-June 1157, Nur ed-Din laid siege to the city and succeeded in breaking through the gates, demolishing the walls and burning the town. The defenders found refuge in the inner castle, or presidium, close to the bastions. The exact location of this castle is as yet unsettled (Qal'at es-Subeiba, on the ridge above the town, believed by some scholars to be the Banias fortress, did not exist in the twelfth century; q.v. Nimrod Fortress). The Muslims withdrew when reinforcements, summoned by Baldwin III, arrived at nearby Hunin. According to William of Tyre (XVIII, 13) the king sent masons and carpenters to reconstruct the town and its fortifications. On October 18, 1164, Banias was finally taken by Nur ed-Din, when the Crusaders were in Egypt. The Hula Valley was then divided between the Franks and the Muslims, an arrangement that lasted some twenty years. The city, however, never returned to the Crusaders, who attempted to capture it in 1174 and 1179.

Major events in the city's history under Ayyubid control include destruction by an earthquake in 1201 [JW: should be 1202] and the reconstruction that followed by the local governor, Fakher ed-Din Jaharkas. A recently discovered Arabic inscription, dated 1204/5, commemorates the construction of a tower. A plundering raid on the town by the Crusaders is recorded in 1219, followed in March 1219 by an intentional demolition of the town fortifications, with all others in western Palestine, by orders of el-Mu'azzam 'Isa, under the threat of a Crusader conquest of Egypt. The fortifications were restored in 1226/ 1227, according to an inscription of the local governor, el-'Aziz 'Uthman, found at Banias. In 1260 Banias fell to the Mongols, who in turn lost it to the Mamelukes. In subsequent centuries the site fell into decline and became a small, poor village, occupied through 1967 by Turcomans, Arabs, Druze, and Nusairiyeh.

• from Zvi Uri Ma'oz in Stern et. al., 1993 v.1

Benjamin of Tudela, who visited Banias in about 1170, probably saw the remains of altar-shaped pedestals in the rock niches. Dimashki (c. 1300) mentions many Greek remains. Modem exploration of the site begins with U. J. Seetzen, in 1806, who described the Jordan sources, the grotto, and the adjacent rock wall with its niches. He copied the Greek inscriptions and identified the site with Caesarea-Panias. J. L. Burkhardt, in 1810, added a detailed description with a drawing of the cave and copied more Greek inscriptions. He also noted that the ruins extend far to the west, with ancient walls, columns (some of gray granite), capitals, and pedestals dotting the ground. In 1843, W. M. Thomson noted that the grotto entrance was almost completely blocked by rocks and that some architectural remains were lying about. The grotto's ceiling was probably shattered by the January 1, 1837 earthquake that destroyed Safed and Galilee. Of his two visits in 1838 and 1852, E. Robinson produced a detailed description of the environment and ruins. He mentions two bridges over Nahal Hermon [aka Banias River], the fortifications, the south gate and its Arabic inscription, and the wall of the ancient town south of Nahal Sa'ar. F. de Saulcy published a drawing of two decorated niches and the inscriptions in the sanctuary. In 1866, C. Wilson noted the bridge over Nahal Hermon [aka Banias River], beyond which he passed a small gate in the fortification (no longer extant). His most important contribution was, however, a drawing of the opus reticulatum walls to the west of the springs, the lower part of which has since disappeared (see below). V. Guerin (1875) did not add much in his description, except to note that the grotto was full of giant rocks and cattle dung. The Arabic inscription in the gatehouse, dated 1227, was published by J. Gildemeister (1887) and M. van Berchem (1888). In 1877, H. H. Kitchener described the obstructed grotto in similar terms and added the measurements of the artificial cave and niches. He also noted the large cuttings in the rocks to the west of the cave (below the Maqam Nebi Khader), the opus reticulatum walls, and farther west, some rock graves and tessellated marble and mosaic pavements (the "palace" terrace, later excavated by E. Netzer, see below). In the town itself, Kitchener noted a series of Roman arches, almost completely choked (the vaults, see below). He also published a drawing of a block of Doric frieze with rosettes. The medieval fortifications, which he believed were of Crusader workmanship, were irregular in plan, surrounded by ditches, and included three towers on the east, one tower to the northwest, and a city gate approached by a bridge on the south.

The only archaeological discoveries from Banias published during French and Syrian hegemony of the area (1920-1967) were chance finds of a Roman bronze figurine and a round bronze shield (diameter, 38.8 em) with a sculptured bust of Aphrodite. The shield may have been attached to a temple pediment or used as a votive.

Following the 1967 Six-Day War, an archaeological survey was conducted at the site, headed by J. Olami, on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of Israel. The survey collected Roman pottery over an area of some 175 a. and identified a Roman bathhouse close to the west bank of Nahal Hermon [aka Banias River]. The bathhouse was built of ashlars and arches, its walls were covered by frescoes, and a clay pipe brought in water (this building is completely covered today). In the west quarter, the survey identified mosaic floors along the cuttings of the modern road and retrieved a fragment of a basalt sculpture of a Roman eagle. Of the medieval fortification, the survey located nine towers, the ditch on the east side, and a mosque with ablaq masonry in the eastern room of the southern gatehouse. In addition, Crusader and Mameluke pottery was gathered, and a thirteenth-century coin of King Conrad, issued in Sicily, was found. A fragmentary Arabic inscription, dated 1240, was found in reuse in the village mosque. In 1970, A. Grabois published a detailed description of the medieval fortifications, dating them to the twelfth century, with some sketched plans of the towers. In 1968, the ditch along the eastern wall was entirely emptied, and three towers were exposed. During this process, clay "Greek fire" grenades were discovered at the bottom of the ditch.

In 1973, during construction work at Kibbutz Snir, a burial cave and several tombs were discovered in the western cemetery and excavated by D. Amir (see below). In 1974, Amir conducted another salvage excavation, on the west bank of Nahal Hermon [aka Banias River], near the pump house, in which he discovered some agricultural installations and an interesting architectural sequence: an ashlar wall superimposed by a rough, stone-built drainage channel that is a trapezoid in section; the channel is itself built over by another ashlar wall. These remains date to the third to fourth centuries CE. In 1977 and 1978, E. Netzer, on behalf of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, conducted archaeological probes in the opus reticulatum structure on the elevated terrace to the west of the Pan grotto (see below). In 1982, M. Ben-Dov carried out small-scale probes along the fortifications.

From 1983 to 1985, M. Hartal conducted a systematic survey of the entire site. He established the extent of the ancient town (some 250 a.), with the addition of an eastern quarter underneath the forest, and he discovered the northeastern cemetery and the aqueduct. Because no sherds predating the Roman period were collected in his survey, he claimed that no early tell or Hellenistic town ever existed at Banias. In 1984, Hartal and Z. Ma'oz conducted a salvage excavation along a pipeline to the south of Nahal Hermon [aka Banias River]. Part of a Roman villa was exposed (see below).

In 1985, V. Tzaferis conducted salvage excavations, on behalf of the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums, in an area to the north of the northeastern medieval tower (adjacent to the present park entrance on the east). The finds - a few agricultural installations and walls dated to the Mameluke period - indicate that this area lay outside the fortification and the built-up area of the medieval town. Two clay pipes, which presumably conveyed fresh water, at a depth of 3 m below the surface, may date to the Roman period.

Since 1988, systematic excavations have been conducted at Banias, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, in three areas: the sanctuary of Pan, directed by Ma'oz, and the urban center (areas Band C), under the direction of Tzaferis.

In 1988, during construction work at the Snir Field School, a burial cave was discovered and excavated by Ma'oz, on behalf of the Department of Antiquities. Another burial cave on the slope below Kibbutz Snir was excavated by Ma'oz in 1989 (see below). In 1990, I. Shaked conducted two salvage probes, on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, along a new electricity line, to the west and to the south of Nahal Hermon [aka Banias River].

• from Vassilios Tzaferis in Stern et al (2008)

Since 1988, two archaeological teams have worked separately in the ancient city. The first, headed by Z. Ma‘oz, concentrated on the exposure of the Sanctuary of Pan. This work was terminated in 1994 and the remains exposed were preserved, partly restored, and opened to the public. The second team, under the direction of V. Tzaferis, unearthed large parts of the Roman palace and succeeded in locating the city’s cardo maximus. This work was halted in 2000 and the palace remains are now accessible to visitors via newly constructed paths and staircases.

Earthquake	Report
Northern Cyril Quake of 363 CE	The Letter attributed to Cyril of Jerusalem states that a third of Paneas [aka Banias] was overthrown
Fire in the Sky Quake of 502 CE	Although historical sources do not report damage to Banias, Banias' proximity to the epicentral region suggests that it may have received damage
11th century CE Palestine Quakes	Michael the Bishop of Tannis and Benjamin of Tudela report that Banias was affected. See Damage and Chronology Reports from Textual Sources for the 11th century CE Palestine Quakes
1068 CE Quakes(s)	al-Qalanisi, Sibt Ibn al-Jawzi, and al-Dhahabi report that Banias was affected - see Damage and Chronology Reports from Textual Sources for the 1068 CE Quakes(s)
1156 CE Earthquakes ?	Burton (2010:183) citing Runciman, A History of the Crusades, Volume 2, 343 states that in 1156, a series of earthquakes ravaged Palestine, producing destruction in towns such as Banias and an opportunity for Muslim attacks on Frankish holdings however I find no such reference in Runciman. The 1156 CE series of earthquakes appears to refer to the 1156-1159 CE Syrian Quakes where I did not encounter any reports about damage in Banias. Contemporaneous author Ibn al-Qalanisi reported that many of these earthquakes were felt in nearby Damascus so some of these earthquakes would have also been felt in Banias. Whether there was damage is unknown. Reported damage may be conjecture on the part of Burton (2010:183)
1202 CE Quake	al-Baghdadi, Abu Shama, and al-Dawadari report that Banias was affected - see Damage and Chronology Reports from Textual Sources for the 1202 CE Quake
1837 CE Safed Quake	Zohar et al. (2016: Table 3) reports damage to Baniyas

Figures

Discussion

Wilson (2004:110) reports the following:

Excavations in the city centre have produced one rather dramatic and poignant discovery that provides a glimpse into this period, and a hint of the decline. A street, some 3.5 metres wide, was found running parallel to the Cardo Maximus, and 25 metres east of the main street. Though the street undoubtedly was a part of the original Roman city grid, all the buildings found along it were Byzantine. Those on the western side of the street were, judging by their contents, mostly retail shops or workshops, showing that the once-magnificent public area of Banias had changed in character and use. These had fallen victim to a huge fire, and their floors, once a thick layer of ash had been removed, yielded large numbers of crushed storage jars, jugs, bowls, vessels of glass, tools (including a set of scales) and many coins (Figs 37, 38). All of these were dated to the fourth and fifth centuries. It is not clear whether the destruction was the result of one of the great earthquakes of the period, or some other local disaster. It is clear, however, that the buildings were left in ruins, and nothing was rebuilt where they had stood until medieval times. Surely, had the city fathers been able to do so, they would have cleared this disfiguring ruin from their city’s centre.⁸⁵

Footnotes

85 See Tzaferis, forthcoming excavation report.

Vassilios Tzaferis in Stern et al (2008) also wrote about this destruction

THE “BURNT STREET” (stratum IV)

A portion of a street dating from the fourth and fifth centuries CE was found in area F, with a series of buildings along each of its sides. The entire complex is located between the palace-bathhouse on the west and the cardo on the east, and lies directly under the northern wall and main entrance of the medieval citadel.

The street, about 3.50 m wide, is aligned north–south. To the south it disappears under the medieval citadel but originally continued to Nah ̣al Sa‘ar, to the north it runs parallel to the cardo, and to the west to the complex of the palace-bathhouse structure. In view of its position parallel to and only 25 m from the cardo, it seems probable that it is a late phase of a much earlier Roman street or alley. A probe in one of the rooms flanking the street exposed earlier occupational layers that appear to be extant beneath the entire complex. Four rooms (1–4), probably having functioned as shops or workshops, lie along the western side of the street. Along its eastern side is a structure that was very probably of a public character. It included water installations, and found in one of its rooms were some circular bricks generally used in pilae of hypocausts, both suggesting that the structure served as a bathhouse.

As a result of a major fire, the four shops along the western side of the street were no longer in use by the second half of the fifth century CE. The same may be true of the structures on the eastern side. In one of the shops, crushed storage jars, jugs, juglets, bowls, glass vessels, various tools (including copper scales), and numerous coins, all of which are characteristic of the fourth and early fifth centuries CE, were found in situ beneath a thick layer of dense ash. It is not possible to establish if these remains indicate a localized conflagration or were the result of a much larger disaster that struck Banias during the fifth century CE

Moshe Hartal in Stern et al (2008) wrote that the town aqueduct apparently continued to function until the fifth century when in the 2nd half of the 5th century CE the city underwent a major crisis, the cause of which is unknown, and was greatly reduced in size. At this time the aqueduct went out of use and the northwestern suburb was abandoned.

Figures

Discussion

Wilson (2004:110-111) reports the following:

The earthquake of 22 August 502 AD [ 502 CE Fire in the Sky Quake], which destroyed Akko, Tyre and Sidon, almost certainly struck Banias, though if Theodosius the topographer is to be believed it apparently did not destroy the statue or the church in which it stood.⁸⁹ Another earthquake occurred in the area on 9 July 551 AD [551 CE Beirut Quake], which may have spelled the end for the church and the statue.⁹⁰ Alternatively, the place of pilgrimage at Banias may simply have gradually become more and more inaccessible. As we have seen, there is no clear eyewitness account among those writers who mention the city during the sixth century.

Footnotes

89 The quake probably originated from the Safad/Reina hexametres in Galilee. See Russell, 1985, pp.43–44. [JW: Russell based this on debated chronology at Gush Halav. The epicenter may have been closer to the Lebanese littoral]

90 Russell, 1985, pp.44–45. [JW: A better reference is the 551 CE Beirut Quake entry in this catalog.]

Figures

Discussion

Wilson (2004:149-150) reports the following:

FAKHR AL-DÎN JAHÂRKAS, LORD OF BANIAS

Having cast his lot with al-‘Adil, the winner of the struggle to succeed Saladin, Jahârkas now reaped the benefits. In 1201, the year of al-‘Adil’s accession, he was appointed as muqta’ of Bilad al-Shaqif – a territory including the forts of Beaufort, Tyron, Toron, Chastel-Neuf etc. – most of southern Lebanon.³² Taking possession of Banias and ousting Emir Husâm al-Dîn Bishârah, its governor, required a siege and combat.³³ Once secured, the town served as his capital, from where he controlled Tibnin, Hunîn, the Huleh and all the dependencies of these places.³⁴ He was obviously a man of great importance in the Ayyûbid sphere of influence.

Disaster struck Jahârkas’s principality shortly after he had acquired it. A terrible earthquake [1202 CE Earthquake] ravaged the area, badly damaging Banias, as well as Baalbek, Tibnin, Tyre, Hunîn, Safed, Tiberias, Beth Shean, Nablus and many other places.³⁵ A beautiful inscription stone, known earlier, lost, then rediscovered during modern excavations at the site, attributes the building of a ‘burj’ (fortress tower) to Jahârkas (Fig. 41). The inscription is dated AH 597 (1204AD).³⁶ This undoubtedly represents one of the projects carried out by him in order to repair the damage done to the city by this earthquake.

Footnotes

32 Humphreys, 1977, pp.77, 142.

33 Humphreys, 1977, p.137.

34 Abû Chama, The Two Gardens, RHCO 5, 1898, p.146.

35 Amiran, et al., 1995, p.270; Humphreys, 1977, p.147. Maqrizî mentions a great earthquake over ‘most of Egypt, Syria’ etc., dated in the year 1203/4. Broadhurst, 1980, p.146. This is most likely a mistake – perhaps confusion with the earthquake of 1020 mentioned above. Current earthquake research does not include one for this date.

36 As corrected by Sharon. See forthcoming excavation report.

Figures

Discussion

Hartal (2009:7-8) reports the following:

To the north of the [Banias] spring there is a 10 m high ledge which is bounded on three sides (north, east and west) by 30 m high cliffs (see Fig. 1.1:1). Opening at the left corner of the northern rock-scarp is a large karstic cave (Fig. 1.5; 25 m wide, 15 m deep and 8 m high), at the bottom of which subterranean water is reached. As the consequence of an earthquake, the mouth of the cave was destroyed and blocked by a large pile of rocks. It appears that the present cave is a relict of a much larger grotto that collapsed in the past, creating the ledge, or terrace, upon which the temples are built (Fig. 1.6; Heimann and Porat, in preparation). During the Hellenistic period the cave was dedicated to the cult of Pan. At the entrance to the cave there is a temple which was identified by its excavator, Z.U. Ma‘oz, with the Augusteum built by Herod in 19 BCE. In the first and through the third centuries CE, various temples were built on the terrace to the east of the cave. Some are roofed over, others are open-air cult zones. Niches for the placement of sculptures and with dedicatory inscriptions were hewn in the rock-cliff. The Sacred Precinct was systematically excavated by Ma‘oz (1993; 1998; 1999; in preparation).

Wilson (2004:166) suggested that the rockfalls may have been due to the 1837 CE Safed Quake.

The massive earthquake that struck the area on New Year’s Day 1837 [1837 CE Safed Quake], may have ravaged the poorly constructed houses of the village. The quake seems to have caused rock falls within the cave of Pan, covering the floor and entrance with the huge boulders that remained there until they were removed during the recent archaeological excavations.²⁵ The poorly constructed houses seen by Europeans after this event had no doubt been simply thrown together in an effort to provide warmth and safety for the villagers as soon as possible.

Footnotes

25 See Amiran et al., 1995, p.263 JW: The reference does not appear to be in Page 263. Amiran et. al.'s Earthquake Catalog is on this website as is the Location Index.

Zvi Uri Ma'oz in Stern et. al (1993 v.1) concurred suggesting that the grotto's ceiling was probably shattered by the January 1, 1837 earthquake that destroyed Safed and Galilee.

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description
Broken Pottery found in fallen (?) position	four shops along the western side of the Byzantine Street of Shops (aka 'Street of Burnt Shops') in Area F - possibly along the eastern side as well. Potential archaeoseismic evidence in the Cardo too. Fig. 1 Plan of the Ancient City Wilson (2004) Banias: plan of the town center, showing excavation areas Stern et al (2008)	Fig. 37 The ‘Street of Burnt Shops’ [aka Byzantine Street of Shops] as discovered Wilson (2004) The excavated Cardo in the Byzantine City click on image to open a high res magnifiable image in a new tab Used with permission from BibleWalks.com detail of the column bases along the Cardo click on image to open a high res magnifiable image in a new tab Used with permission from BibleWalks.com	[The Byzantine Street] had fallen victim to a huge fire, and their floors, once a thick layer of ash had been removed, yielded large numbers of crushed storage jars, jugs, bowls, vessels of glass, tools (including a set of scales) and many coins (Figs 37, 38). All of these were dated to the fourth and fifth centuries. It is not clear whether the destruction was the result of one of the great earthquakes of the period, or some other local disaster. - Wilson (2004:110) As a result of a major fire, the four shops along the western side of the [Byzantine or 'Burnt'] street were no longer in use by the second half of the fifth century CE. The same may be true of the structures on the eastern side. In one of the shops, crushed storage jars, jugs, juglets, bowls, glass vessels, various tools (including copper scales), and numerous coins, all of which are characteristic of the fourth and early fifth centuries CE, were found in situ beneath a thick layer of dense ash. It is not possible to establish if these remains indicate a localized conflagration or were the result of a much larger disaster that struck Banias during the fifth century CE - Vassilios Tzaferis in Stern et al (2008) Moshe Hartal in Stern et al (2008) wrote that the town aqueduct apparently continued to function until the fifth century when in the 2nd half of the 5th century CE the city underwent a major crisis, the cause of which is unknown, and was greatly reduced in size. At this time the aqueduct went out of use and the northwestern suburb was abandoned.

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description
Possible Cave Collapse	Cave of Pan Fig. 1 Plan of the Ancient City Wilson (2004) Plan of the sanctuary of Pan Stern et al (2008) Reconstructed view of the temples at the sanctuary of Pan click on image to open a high res magnifiable image in a new tab Drawing by Grandma Rina Used with permission from BibleWalks.com	Court of Pan and the Nymphs; the cave is to the far lef JW: Note human next to huge boulders in the lower left Stern et al (2008) Cave of Pan click on image to open a high res magnifiable image in a new tab Used with permission from BibleWalks.com	To the north of the [Banias] spring there is a 10 m high ledge which is bounded on three sides (north, east and west) by 30 m high cliffs (see Fig. 1.1:1). Opening at the left corner of the northern rock-scarp is a large karstic cave (Fig. 1.5; 25 m wide, 15 m deep and 8 m high), at the bottom of which subterranean water is reached. As the consequence of an earthquake, the mouth of the cave was destroyed and blocked by a large pile of rocks. It appears that the present cave is a relict of a much larger grotto that collapsed in the past, creating the ledge, or terrace, upon which the temples are built (Fig. 1.6; Heimann and Porat, in preparation). - Hartal (2009:7-8) The massive earthquake that struck the area on New Year’s Day 1837 [1837 CE Safed Quake], may have ravaged the poorly constructed houses of the village. The quake seems to have caused rock falls within the cave of Pan, covering the floor and entrance with the huge boulders that remained there until they were removed during the recent archaeological excavations.25 The poorly constructed houses seen by Europeans after this event had no doubt been simply thrown together in an effort to provide warmth and safety for the villagers as soon as possible. Footnotes 25 See Amiran et al., 1995, p.263 JW: The reference does not appear to be in Page 263. Amiran et. al.'s Earthquake Catalog is on this website as is the Location Index. Wilson (2004:166) the grotto's ceiling was probably shattered by the January 1, 1837 earthquake that destroyed Safed and Galilee - Zvi Uri Ma'oz in Stern et. al (1993 v.1)

• Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
  Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
  
  Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
  of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Location	Image	Description	Intensity
Broken Pottery found in fallen (?) position	four shops along the western side of the Byzantine Street of Shops (aka 'Street of Burnt Shops') in Area F - possibly along the eastern side as well. Potential archaeoseismic evidence in the Cardo too. Fig. 1 Plan of the Ancient City Wilson (2004) Banias: plan of the town center, showing excavation areas Stern et al (2008)	Fig. 37 The ‘Street of Burnt Shops’ [aka Byzantine Street of Shops] as discovered Wilson (2004) The excavated Cardo in the Byzantine City click on image to open a high res magnifiable image in a new tab Used with permission from BibleWalks.com detail of the column bases along the Cardo click on image to open a high res magnifiable image in a new tab Used with permission from BibleWalks.com	[The Byzantine Street] had fallen victim to a huge fire, and their floors, once a thick layer of ash had been removed, yielded large numbers of crushed storage jars, jugs, bowls, vessels of glass, tools (including a set of scales) and many coins (Figs 37, 38). All of these were dated to the fourth and fifth centuries. It is not clear whether the destruction was the result of one of the great earthquakes of the period, or some other local disaster. - Wilson (2004:110) As a result of a major fire, the four shops along the western side of the [Byzantine or 'Burnt'] street were no longer in use by the second half of the fifth century CE. The same may be true of the structures on the eastern side. In one of the shops, crushed storage jars, jugs, juglets, bowls, glass vessels, various tools (including copper scales), and numerous coins, all of which are characteristic of the fourth and early fifth centuries CE, were found in situ beneath a thick layer of dense ash. It is not possible to establish if these remains indicate a localized conflagration or were the result of a much larger disaster that struck Banias during the fifth century CE - Vassilios Tzaferis in Stern et al (2008) Moshe Hartal in Stern et al (2008) wrote that the town aqueduct apparently continued to function until the fifth century when in the 2nd half of the 5th century CE the city underwent a major crisis, the cause of which is unknown, and was greatly reduced in size. At this time the aqueduct went out of use and the northwestern suburb was abandoned.	VII+

The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VII (7) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

• Earthquake Archeological Effects chart
  Earthquake Archeological Effects (EAE)
  
  Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)
  of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224)

Effect	Location	Image(s)	Description	Intensity
Possible Cave Collapse  - Collapses in Caves or Vault Collapse	Cave of Pan Fig. 1 Plan of the Ancient City Wilson (2004) Plan of the sanctuary of Pan Stern et al (2008) Reconstructed view of the temples at the sanctuary of Pan click on image to open a high res magnifiable image in a new tab Drawing by Grandma Rina Used with permission from BibleWalks.com	Court of Pan and the Nymphs; the cave is to the far lef JW: Note human next to huge boulders in the lower left Stern et al (2008) Cave of Pan click on image to open a high res magnifiable image in a new tab Used with permission from BibleWalks.com	To the north of the [Banias] spring there is a 10 m high ledge which is bounded on three sides (north, east and west) by 30 m high cliffs (see Fig. 1.1:1). Opening at the left corner of the northern rock-scarp is a large karstic cave (Fig. 1.5; 25 m wide, 15 m deep and 8 m high), at the bottom of which subterranean water is reached. As the consequence of an earthquake, the mouth of the cave was destroyed and blocked by a large pile of rocks. It appears that the present cave is a relict of a much larger grotto that collapsed in the past, creating the ledge, or terrace, upon which the temples are built (Fig. 1.6; Heimann and Porat, in preparation). - Hartal (2009:7-8) The massive earthquake that struck the area on New Year’s Day 1837 [1837 CE Safed Quake], may have ravaged the poorly constructed houses of the village. The quake seems to have caused rock falls within the cave of Pan, covering the floor and entrance with the huge boulders that remained there until they were removed during the recent archaeological excavations.25 The poorly constructed houses seen by Europeans after this event had no doubt been simply thrown together in an effort to provide warmth and safety for the villagers as soon as possible. Footnotes 25 See Amiran et al., 1995, p.263 JW: The reference does not appear to be in Page 263. Amiran et. al.'s Earthquake Catalog is on this website as is the Location Index. Wilson (2004:166) the grotto's ceiling was probably shattered by the January 1, 1837 earthquake that destroyed Safed and Galilee - Zvi Uri Ma'oz in Stern et. al (1993 v.1)	III+ or VIII+