Caesarea Philippi

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  | Caesarea Philippi Situated 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee and at the base of Mt. Hermon, Caesarea Philippi is the location of one of the largest springs feeding the Jordan River.   This abundant water supply has made the area very fertile and attractive for religious worship.  Numerous temples were built at this city in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. |

| Biblical History Apparently known as Baal Hermon and Baal Gad in the Old Testament period, this site later was named Panias after the Greek god Pan who was worshiped here.   There is no record of Jesus entering the city, but the great confession and the transfiguration both occurred in the vicinity of the city (Matt 16:13), then known as Caesarea Philippi. |
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  | Grotto of Pan The spring emerged from the large cave which became the center of pagan worship.  Beginning in the 3rd century B.C., sacrifices were cast into the cave as offerings to the god Pan.   Pan, the half-man half-goat god of fright (thus "panic"), is often depicted playing the flute.  This city known as Panias has been corrupted in the Arabic language to its modern name of Banias. |

| Sacred Niches Adjacent to the sacred cave is a rocky escarpment with a series of hewn niches.  We know that statues of the deity were placed in these niches by depictions of such on coins of the city.   One niche housed a sculpture of Echo, the mountain nymph and Pan’s consort.  Another niche housed a statue of Pan’s father, Hermes, son of nymph Maia. Inscriptions in the niches mention those who gave large donations.   |
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