The ancient town can be visited
Ancient Town Bethsaida (בית צידה)

The ancient city of Bethsaida, whose name means “House of Fishing” or “House of Hunting,” is an archaeological site in ancient Gaulanitis by the Sea of Galilee in Israel. It is known as the birthplace of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip.
History+
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 a 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.
Location+
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.
On site+
The excavation site on Et-Tel hill covers an area of approximately 80,000 square meters.
Take Mobile History with you
You are reading this text for free. Premium adds what matters on the road: descriptions read aloud, sites found through your camera, whole regions taken offline.
- Every description, including the ~17,700 Premium sites
- Audio guide: have descriptions read to you on location
- AR finder: see sites through your camera, with distance and bearing
- Unlimited saved sites
14 days free, then from €2.99 a month. Cancel anytime.
Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruins_of_Bethsaida_village_in_summer_2011_%287%29.JPG
This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.
Location: 32.9109, 35.6312