hearing before visiting King Agrippa was in order that Festus might have clearer information to submit in transmitting Paul’s case to “the August One,” Nero. (Acts 25:12-27; 26:32; 28:19) Paul’s appeal served a further purpose, that of taking him to Rome, fulfilling an intention expressed earlier. (Acts 19:21; Rom. 15:22-28) Jesus’ prophetic promise and the angelic message later received both show divine direction in the matter.—Acts 23:11; 27:23, 24.

It was apparently during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome or about 60-61 C.E. that he wrote his letter to the Philippians. At the letter’s close, Paul includes the greetings of the brothers in Rome and “especially those of the household of Caesar.” (Phil. 4:21, 22) The term “household of Caesar” does not necessarily refer to the immediate family of Nero, then reigning, but may apply to those in government service, Caesar’s slaves and minor officials. Whether these Christians from Caesar’s household were products of Paul’s preaching is not stated. If his prison quarters were at all connected with the Praetorian Guard (Phil. 1:13), this would place him, and the preaching he there did, in the proximity of Nero’s palace, hence near many of the “household of Caesar.” (Acts 28:16, 30, 31) Whatever the manner of his meeting these Christians of Caesar’s household, they apparently had special interest in the brothers of Philippi. Since Philippi was a Roman colony with many retired soldiers and government servants, it may be that a number of the Christians there were related to or were friends of those on whose behalf Paul conveyed greetings.

A great fire ravaged Rome in 64 C.E., destroying about a fourth of the city. The rumor circulated that Nero was responsible and, according to Roman historian Tacitus, Nero tried to protect himself by placing the blame on “a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace.” (Tacitus’ Annals XV, 44) Mass arrests followed and Christians, or suspected Christians, were put to death in large numbers, among other tortures some being burned alive in public. This appears to have marked the start of a great wave of persecution, not from religious opposers, but from political sources bent on exterminating the Christian congregation. Likely Paul, who evidently was freed after two years’ imprisonment in Rome (c. 59-61 C.E.), now experienced his second imprisonment (c. 64 or 65 C.E.). It is generally held that he thereafter was put to death at Nero’s order.—Compare 2 Timothy 1:16, 17; 4:6-8.

The Jewish revolt began in 66 C.E., two years before Nero’s death, but was not suppressed until 70 C.E. in the reign of Vespasian (69-79 C.E.). The apostle John is thought to have been exiled to the island of Patmos during the rule of Domitian (81-96 C.E.), a harsh opponent of Christianity.—Rev. 1:9.

CAESAREA

(Caes·a·reʹa).

An important seaport city built by Herod the Great on the Mediterranean seacoast during the latter part of the first century B.C.E. The original site was previously known as Straton’s or Strato’s Tower, thought to be so named after a Sidonian ruler. Now called Keisariyeh, it is situated about twenty-three miles (37 kilometers) S of Mount Carmel and about fifty-four miles (86.9 kilometers) N-NW of Jerusalem.

The Jewish historian Josephus is the prime source of information about the construction and early history of the city. Herod the Great had received the site along with Samaria and other towns, as a gift from Caesar Augustus. After rebuilding Samaria, which he named Sebaste, he turned his attention to the seacoast and proceeded to build a magnificent port and city at Strato’s Tower, the construction covering a period of ten to twelve years, and the time of its dedication coming about the year 10 B.C.E. (according to some authorities). These projects were named in honor of Caesar Augustus, the city being called Caesarea Sebastos. The city was built in Grecian style with colonnades, arches, a temple, theater, amphitheater, and a hippodrome with seating capacity for some 20,000 persons. An aqueduct supplied Caesarea with fresh water, and a drainage system underneath the city carried water and sewage out to the sea.

The major feat, however, was the construction of the city’s artificial harbor. The coastline in this area is very regular, affording virtually no protection for ships against the prevailing winds from the SW. Herod built a mole or breakwater some 200 feet (61 meters) wide out into the sea by lowering huge stones, described by Josephus as fifty feet (15.2 meters) long, eighteen feet (5.5 meters) wide, and nine feet (2.7 meters) high, setting them into water twenty fathoms (36 meters) deep and on top of reefs. The harbor entrance lay toward the N and, according to modern investigation, was 180 yards (164.6 meters) wide. Caesarea thereafter rivaled Joppa in importance as a principal seaport on the Palestinian coast S of Phoenicia. It was also situated on the caravan route running from Tyre down to Egypt and had excellent communications with the cities inland as well.

Following the removal of Herod the Great’s son, Archelaus, in the year 6 C.E., Caesarea became the official residence of the Roman procurators who governed Judea. In the Bible account of the Acts of Apostles the city figures prominently both as a seaport and a seat of government.

Philip, who had accomplished successful missionary service in Samaria, subsequently engaged in “declaring the good news” in the coastal territory from the city of Ashdod in Philistia through all the cities on up to Caesarea, about fifty-five miles (88.5 kilometers) to the N. (Acts 8:5-8, 40) Shortly thereafter, Paul’s conversion took place and, due to a plot against him when he began preaching in Jerusalem, the disciples there took their new brother to the seaport of Caesarea and sent him off to his hometown, Tarsus. (Acts 9:28-30) As the main headquarters for the Roman military forces, Caesarea was a natural place for the centurion Cornelius to have his residence. The city, though having a substantial number of Jewish residents, is considered to have been mainly of Gentile population. It was thus a significant site for Peter to be divinely directed to in the year 36 C.E. for the purpose of witnessing to uncircumcised Cornelius and his relatives and intimate friends and for their baptism as the first uncircumcised Gentiles to be admitted into the Christian congregation.—Acts 10:1-48.

It was to Caesarea that Herod Agrippa I withdrew after his unsuccessful imprisonment of Peter, and here he received the delegations from Tyre and Sidon and shortly thereafter died (44 C.E.), as an expression of God’s adverse judgment. (Acts 12:18-23) Paul went through Caesarea on returning to Palestine when nearing completion of his second and third missionary tours. (Acts 18:21, 22; 21:7, 8) At the time of his second visit, Paul and his companions lodged with Philip the evangelizer, who possibly settled in Caesarea at the close of his earlier preaching tour. Some of the local disciples now accompanied the apostle from that seaport up to Jerusalem, though Paul had been warned by the prophet Agabus while in Caesarea of the danger awaiting him.—Acts 21:10-16.

Due to an assassination plot against him in Jerusalem, Paul, under arrest, was later taken to Caesarea under heavy guard and delivered to Governor Felix for trial. (Acts 23:23, 24) The notable contrast between the emotional religious prejudice and riotous conditions in Jerusalem and the relatively orderly conditions in Caesarea are considered as evidence of the strong Roman influence in the latter city as well as its position as the chief garrison of Roman troops. Governor Festus, who succeeded Felix, obliged Paul’s Jewish opposers in Jerusalem to come down to Caesarea to present their charges against him, at which time Paul appealed to Caesar rather than face trial in Jerusalem. (Acts 25:1-12) While still in Caesarea awaiting transfer to Rome, Paul was able to give a strong witness concerning Christianity before Festus and his royal visitors, King Agrippa II and his sister (and incestuous companion) Bernice. (Acts 25:13, 22-27; 26:1-32) From Caesarea Paul, as prisoner, set sail on the voyage that would eventually bring him to Rome.—Acts 27:1, 2.

During the reign of Nero, bitter rivalry broke out between the Jewish and Syrian inhabitants of Caesarea, and incidents there are considered to have served to ignite the flame of revolt that eventually led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. The year before Jerusalem’s fall, Vespasian was proclaimed emperor of Rome at Caesarea, where he was exercising command of the Roman forces suppressing the Jewish revolt.

In 1961 a stone was found in the theater of Caesarea bearing a Latin inscription that includes the name of Pontius Pilate, the first such inscription to be found.

[Picture on page 273]

Ruins of the ancient coastal city of Caesarea

CAESAREA PHILIPPI

(Caes·a·reʹa Phi·lipʹpi) [Caesarea of Philip].

A town situated at the headwaters of the Jordan River, today represented by the small village of Banyas. At an elevation of 1,150 feet (350.5 meters) above sea level, its location is one of great natural beauty. The village is enclosed on three sides by mountains with the snowcapped peak of Mount Hermon rising majestically to the NE, while to the W extends a lush green plain watered by one of the principal sources of the Jordan springing from a nearby cavern.

It was on the way to “the villages of Caesarea Philippi” that Jesus questioned his disciples: “Who are men saying the Son of man is?” giving rise to the meaningful conversation regarding the Christian congregation’s rock-mass foundation and the use of the keys of the kingdom of the heavens.—Mark 8:27; Matt. 16:13-20.

The town’s earliest appearance in history is as the site of a battle between Egypt and the victorious forces of Antiochus the Great (c. 200 B.C.E.). It was then known as Paneas, a name given the town in honor of the pagan god Pan, a fertility deity, who was worshiped there. In the year 20 B.C.E. Augustus Caesar gave Paneas to Herod the Great, who thereafter built a white marble temple in the place, dedicating it to Augustus. Herod’s son, Philip the tetrarch, later enlarged and beautified the city in honor of Tiberius Caesar. It was then given the name Caesarea and, to distinguish it from the seaport city of the same name, was called Caesarea Philippi. Still later the city was again enlarged and adorned by Agrippa II and its name changed to Neronias, though this name quickly passed into disuse following the death of Nero. Josephus relates that, after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., General Titus staged gladiatorial events there, using captive Jews as victims.

In course of time the name of the city reverted to its ancient name of Paneas, and in Arabic (which uses no “p”) this became Banyas.

CAGE

An enclosure used for confining birds or other animals. (Jer. 5:27; compare Amos 8:2, where the same Hebrew word, K^eluvʹ, is rendered “basket.”) The prophet Ezekiel evidently alluded to King Jehoiachin of Judah under the figure of a lion that was put in a cage (Heb., su·gharʹ) and brought to the king of Babylon. (Ezek. 19:9; compare 2 Kings 24:12-15.) As illustrated on Assyrian bas-reliefs, lions were caged and then released for the hunt. The wooden cages had stout, wide horizontal bars and were topped by a smaller barred cabin, in which stood the man that raised the door to release the lion.

CAIAPHAS

(Caʹia·phas) [depression].

Joseph Caiaphas was the high priest during Jesus’ ministry. (Luke 3:2) He was the son-in-law of high priest Annas (John 18:13; see ANNAS) and was appointed to office by the predecessor of Pontius Pilate, Valerius Gratus, about the year 18 C.E., although some say as late as the year 26. He held the office until the year 36 or 37, longer than any of his immediate predecessors, this being due to his skillful diplomacy and cooperation with Roman rule. He and Pilate were reportedly good friends. Caiaphas was a Sadducee.—Acts 5:17.

A ringleader in the plot to do away with Jesus, Caiaphas prophesied, though not of his own originality, that Jesus would shortly die for the nation, and to that end he gave his whole-hearted support. (John 11:49-53; 18:12-14) At Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin, Caiaphas ripped his garments and said: “He has blasphemed!” (Matt. 26:65) When Jesus was before Pilate Caiaphas was undoubtedly there crying: “Impale him! Impale him!” (John 19:6, 11); he was there asking for the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus (Matt. 27:20, 21; Mark 15:11); he was there shouting: “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15); he was also there protesting the sign over Jesus’ head: “The King of the Jews.”—John 19:21.

The death of Jesus did not mark the end of Caiaphas’ role as a chief persecutor of infant Christianity. The apostles were next haled before this religious ruler, and they were sternly commanded to stop their preaching, were threatened and even flogged, but to no avail. “Every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup,” Caiaphas notwithstanding. (Acts 4:5-7; 5:17, 18, 21, 27, 28, 40, 42) The blood of righteous Stephen was soon added to Jesus’ bloodstains on the skirts of Caiaphas, who also armed Saul of Tarsus with