Sepphoris

Lets see if I can squeeze in another post.

Before leaving Libi's, I contacted the Millers- the family I had been with in Nazareth- to see if I could stay at their place on Thursday night. My hope was that by doing so I'd be able to get to one of the places I didn't reach while I was sick and off the trail: Sepphoris.

Sepphoris was an old city at the time when Herod the Great died and his son Herod Antipas inherited the Galilee, in 4 BC. However, it had recently been destroyed during the civil wars and Roman interventions that racked Israel in the second half of the first century BC. Thus after being established as the ruler of Galilee (and Perea across the Jordan opposite Samaria), Antipas began a renovation program in this city to make it his capital. Eventually he abandoned his landlocked city for the more luxurious Tiberias, which he began building between AD 17 and 20 on the Sea of Galilee and named after the then-ruling Roman emperor. Sepphoris, however, remained a centrally fortified location at the crossroads of the Galilee. It was here that Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi compiled oral traditions of Judaism known as the Mishnah.

So with my pack on my back, I hoped on the bus in Kiryat Shmona and made my way down to the bus station at the modern town of Tzippori. From there it was a two mile walk to the site, but lets face it: Sepphoris is important.

Today, the site is most known for its beautiful mosaics. Pictured below- and I highly recommend maximizing it- is a mosaic floor in a Roman-style villa that pictures scenes from the life of the god Dionysus.


The central image is particularly hilarious. It depicts a drinking contest between Heracles, on the left, and Dionysus, on the right. Dionysus has won and holds up his empty jug upside down above the onlookers. Heracles, on the other hand, is still drinking, and has even dropped his famous club due to the intoxication. Yes, this was the decoration on the dining room floor in Roman Sepphoris.
The other great mosaic at Sepphoris is in the lower city. This great mosaic depicts a Nile-related festival. The Nilometer, which measures the height of the water in the river, is marked at 17; 16 was an exceptionally good year, which means this is a fantastic year. The more water, the higher the agricultural output, and thus the higher the tax revenues. Throughout the rest of the mosaic, the celebrations ensue.
Sepphoris also boasted a remarkable water system and has a nicely preserved cardo. You can see pictures of both on Facebook.

From there I hiked back to the road and waited at the bus stop, where the bus flew by me despite my frantic waving. So I hitched a ride (again) and made my way to the Miller's, where I had a wonderful evening. I also finally got a picture of David (with Mia), so now all the Millers are photographically documented.