Roman Theatre - Beit She'an, Israel
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denben
N 32° 30.081 E 035° 30.096
36S E 735026 N 3598766
Located at the Beit She'an National Park, this amphitheatre is the best preserved Roman theatre of ancient Samaria.
Waymark Code: WMGKNY
Location: Israel
Date Posted: 03/17/2013
Views: 2
The town of Beit She'an (pop. 15,000) is the site of spectacular archaeological excavations and a rich history, dating back to biblical times.
Beit She'an dates back to the Chalcolithic period (4th century BCE), when the town was an important stop for caravans and as a center of Egyptian rule. Excavations in Beit She'an have uncovered the remains of a Canaanite city, a Hellenistic city (renamed Scythopolis) and a Roman Byzantine City. The remains found in Beit She'an date back to the Hellenistic times. The city was predominantly Christian until the Arabs conquered it in the 7th century and restored its ancient name.
The city was destroyed by a massive earthquake in 749 and archaeologists are still uncovering the remains of the ancient civilizations. Among the finds are a huge (1 1/2 acres) Byzantine bath house, a Roman temple and colonnaded streets paved with basalt stones. The most impressive of the ruins is the Roman Theatre, which was built around the year 200. Built to accommodate roughly 8,000 people, it has a stone stage and was used for dramatic productions. Today, the theatre is often used to host concerts and sound and light shows.
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