Caesarea Promontory Palace

The large (almost 4 acres [1.6 ha.] in size) official palace extended out into the Mediterranean Sea. Researchers believe that the palace was built by Herod the Great (37–4 B.C.). A Latin inscription found in the administrative wing of the palace says ". . . good hope to the assistants of the office of the guards" (translation courtesy of Dr. B. Burrell).

This palace may have been the place where Paul appeared before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa II (Acts 23-26). Paul eventually appealed to Caesar for justice and set sail from Caesarea to Rome about A.D. 60. For additional information see K. Gleason et al.: "The Promontory Palace at Caesarea Maritima: Preliminary Evidence for Herod's Praetorium" in Journal of Roman Archaeology 11 (1998) 23-52. Trial.