The overview
Beit She’an also became known as Scythopolis when it was renamed in 63 BC by Pompey and the Romans when they rebuilt the city.
Colossians 3:11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. It became the capital city of the Decapolis. It was destroyed in 749 by an earthquake. Beit She’an is one of the Canaanite cities which was not conquered by the Israelites under Joshua.
Judges 1:27 Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.
Palladius Street
The Cardo: A colonnaded street that runs from the theater to the foothills of the ancient Tel. This street would have been built during the Roman period, 1st Century AD and restored during the Byzantine period. On either side of the streets were raised roofed sidewalks with shops and public housing. Palladius street was named after Palladius, a 4th Century governor of the city. His name is in the inscriptions found in one of the mosaic pavements.
A greek inscription found in the mosaic pavement. It reads: “In the time of Palladius son of Porphyrus, the most magnificent governor, the work of the stoa together witht he mosaic pavement was made.
Original stones made of dark basalt
The Bathhouse
Like other Roman – Byzantine cites, Beit She’an had numerous bathhouses. This bathhouse was in use for 200 ears. They were located in the town center.
Little brick pillars supported the raised floor of the hot rooms, Hot air circulating through this underground space, heated the marble floor and the room above. Outside the building, fire stoked in a furnace sent hot air under the floors and through clay pipes in the walls up to chimneys on the roof.
An outside pool
The floors are paved with marble slabs and mosaics.
The public bathrooms were found along the back of the building. the toilet seats were arranged along the walls, and a channel of running water provided drainage.
Other rooms present in the public bathhouses were, changing rooms, a hot room, a warm room and cold plunge baths or swimming pools.
The Sigma
The Sigma is a semi- circular area that was adjacent to the Western Bathhouse and Palladius street. It dates to the Byzantine period and is surrounded by rooms. It served as a shopping area or the city’s brothel.
Some of the rooms surrounding the semicircular concourse are inlaid with mosaic floors decorated with geometric motifs and foliage. On one floor as seen above is a mosaic depicting Tyche, goddess of the city.
Things to look for while in Beit She'an
Corinthian Capital
Lion Capital
Steps to a monument on Salvanus Street
Gate structure with 3 entrances. From it a staircase, the via sacra, led to the top of the tel which was the acropolis of Scythopolis.
An earthquake completely destroyed Beit She’an in 749AD.
Nympheon
Roman water fountain. It was constructed in the 2nd Century AD. The water fell over the two level structure into the pool in its center facing the street.
The area of the roman civic centre
The Temple Steps
View of the Temple Steps on Lower Right, The Nympheon, the Monument steps. Upper half of photo shows the Amphitheatre and agora.
Remains of a Roman Hippodrome
The Theatre
The Amphitheatre was located south of the Roman civic center. The arena was surrounded by a 10.5 foot wall and consisted of several rows of seats. It could hold 5 to 7 thousand people at a time. Performances consisted of acrobatics, impersonations and sport competitions.
The theatre was built in the 1st Century AD. The people would have entered the theatre by the arched entrances.
Arched passageways led the spectators into the theatre. The semicircular orchestra area was paved with marble and was reached via arched passageways that ran under the seating. The raised stage was paved with marble as well and was built on a row of arches. Along a corridor, behind were cubicles for the use of the performers and stagehands.
The Tel
The tel became the center of the Egyptian administration for the region during the late Bronze period.
Ruins of a massive Israelite fortress from the times of Kings David and Solomon. It was destroyed in 924 BC by fire during the conquest of King Shishak.
1 Kings 14:25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem.
Base of column in the governor’s house.
The doorpost of the house was a stone tablet bearing the name and title of the governor.
Re-construction of the Egyptian governor Ramses-Weser Khepesh building