Ancient Town Bethsaida (בית צידה)

The ruins of the ancient settlement were discovered in 1987 during excavations by Bargil Pixner on the Et-Tel hill. Initial excavations under R. Arav in 1987 and 1989 revealed that the site was settled during the Early Bronze Age (approx. 3300-2300 BCE), the Iron Age (approx. 1000-587 BCE), and the Hellenistic-Roman period (336-30 BCE). It is believed that Bethsaida was founded around 1000 BCE and, due to findings including a wall up to 6 meters thick and an impressive gate complex with a gate altar and a basalt stele, may have been the capital of the Kingdom of Geshur. The city was conquered in 734 BCE by the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III. During the Hellenistic-Roman period, King Philip changed the city's name to Julia-Livia in honor of Emperor Augustus's wife. Finds of fishing tools and remnants of a temple dedicated to Julia-Livia attest to the site's importance during this period.

The ancient city of Bethsaida is located in Almagor in the Northern District of Israel, at an elevation of approximately -173 m above sea level. It lies north of the Sea of Galilee, about 1.5 km from the current shore, at the mouth of the Jordan River into the lake.

Today, visitors can explore the remains of the ancient city. The excavation site on Et-Tel hill covers an area of approximately 80,000 square meters, offering the opportunity to discover the unearthed structures and artifacts from various eras.

• Crusader castle Chastellet du Gué de Jacob (Fortress), approx. 10.4 km away
• Ancient city Tiberias (Ancient Buildings), approx. 17.1 km away
• Ancient city Gadara (Ancient Buildings), approx. 28.6 km away
• Crusader castle Belvoir (Fortress), approx. 36.4 km away