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Now upon his observation of a place near the sea, which was very
proper for containing a city, and was before called Strato's Tower, he
set about getting a plan for a magnificent city there, and erected many
edifices with great diligence all over it, and this of white stone. He
also adorned it with most sumptuous palaces and large edifices for containing
the people; and what was the greatest and most laborious work of all, he
adorned it with a haven, that was always free from the waves of the sea.
Its largeness was not less than the Pyrmum [at Athens], and had towards
the city a double station for the ships. It was of excellent workmanship;
and this was the more remarkable for its being built in a place that of
itself was not suitable to such noble structures, but was to be brought
to perfection by materials from other places, and at very great expenses.
This city is situate in Phoenicia, in the passage by sea to Egypt, between
Joppa and Dora, which are lesser maritime cities, and not fit for havens,
on account of the impetuous south winds that beat upon them, which rolling
the sands that come from the sea against the shores, do not admit of ships
lying in their station; but the merchants are generally there forced to
ride at their anchors in the sea itself. So Herod endeavored to rectify
this inconvenience, and laid out such a compass towards the land as might
be sufficient for a haven, wherein the great ships might lie in safety;
and this he effected by letting down vast stones of above fifty feet in
length, not less than eighteen in breadth, and nine in depth, into twenty
fathom deep; and as some were lesser, so were others bigger than those
dimensions. This mole which he built by the sea-side was two hundred feet
wide, the half of which was opposed to the current of the waves, so as
to keep off those waves which were to break upon them, and so was called
Procymatia, or the first breaker of the waves; but the other half had upon
it a wall, with several towers, the largest of which was named Drusus,
and was a work of very great excellence, and had its name from Drusus,
the son-in-law of Caesar, who died young. There were also a great number
of arches where the mariners dwelt. There was also before them a quay,
[or landing place,] which ran round the entire haven, and was a most agreeable
walk to such as had a mind to that exercise; but the entrance or mouth
of the port was made on the north quarter, on which side was the stillest
of the winds of all in this place: and the basis of the whole circuit on
the left hand, as you enter the port, supported a round turret, which was
made very strong, in order to resist the greatest waves; while on the right
hand, as you enter, stood two vast stones, and those each of them larger
than the turret, which were over against them; these stood upright, and
were joined together. Now there were edifices all along the circular haven,
made of the politest stone, with a certain elevation, whereon was erected
a temple, that was seen a great way off by those that were sailing for
that haven, and had in it two statues, the one of Rome, the other of Caesar.
The city itself was called Cesarea, which was also itself built of fine
materials, and was of a fine structure; nay, the very subterranean vaults
and cellars had no less of architecture bestowed on them than had the buildings
above ground. Some of these vaults carried things at even distances to
the haven and to the sea; but one of them ran obliquely, and bound all
the rest together, that both the rain and the filth of the citizens were
together carried off with ease, and the sea itself, upon the flux of the
tide from without, came into the city, and washed it all clean. Herod also
built therein a theater of stone; and on the south quarter, behind the
port, an amphitheater also, capable of holding a vast number of men, and
conveniently situated for a prospect to the sea. So this city was thus
finished in twelve years;
1
during which time the king did not fail to go on both with the work, and
to pay the charges that were necessary.
2