Hippos-Sussita: Ancient Decapolis City Above Sea of Galilee

More than two decades of systematic excavations have transformed our understanding of this ancient Israel Antiquities Authority excavations and its role in the broader cultural landscape of the ancient Near East. The most remarkable discovery remains a well-preserved fresco of the Greek goddess Tyche, patron deity of cities and fortune, found within a luxurious peristyle house. This artwork, featuring intricate details and vibrant colors that survived nearly two millennia, demonstrates the sophisticated artistic traditions that flourished in Decapolis cities.

The Hippos-Sussita Excavations Project, launched in 2000 under the direction of the University of Haifa, has systematically uncovered the city’s urban development across eight centuries. Excavations have revealed how successive civilizations adapted and rebuilt the site, creating a complex stratigraphy that documents the transition from Hellenistic settlement to Roman metropolis to Christian sites in Israel center.

• The Hellenistic Compound: Archaeologists have uncovered the site’s oldest architectural remains, dating to the late 2nd century BCE. This compound bordered the original agora and contained a sanctuary that served the city’s Greek colonists. The precision of the construction, using carefully cut basalt blocks, reflects the engineering expertise that Seleucid cities brought to the region. When Romans renovated the area in the 1st century CE, they preserved elements of the original temple while adding their own architectural features.

• The Forum and Street Network: The excavated forum reveals a rectangular plaza measuring 60 by 45 meters, surrounded by colonnaded porticoes that provided shelter for commercial and civic activities. Multiple construction phases show how the space evolved from a simple Hellenistic agora to an elaborate Roman forum. The main east-west thoroughfare, the decumanus maximus, stretched 600 meters across the city and was paved with massive basalt stones that still show wheel ruts from ancient traffic.

• City Fortifications and Gates: The fortification wall, constructed from local basalt ashlar blocks, enclosed the entire urban area with walls averaging 3 meters in thickness. The East Gate complex included guard chambers and a defensive tower equipped with arrow slits for archers. Archaeological evidence suggests the fortifications were strengthened multiple times, particularly during the Byzantine period when the city faced increased threats from Arab raiders.

• The Roman Basilica: This magnificent public building served as both courthouse and commercial center. The fully excavated structure measured 50 by 20 meters and featured two rows of columns that supported a clerestory roof allowing natural light to flood the interior. Fragments of decorative stucco and painted plaster indicate the basilica was lavishly decorated with geometric and floral motifs typical of Roman public architecture.

• The Southern Bathhouse: The public baths demonstrate the sophisticated hydraulic engineering that Roman cities required. The complex included hot, warm, and cold rooms connected by a hypocaust heating system that circulated hot air beneath raised floors. Imported marble veneer and mosaic floors reflect the wealth that trade brought to the city during its Roman heyday.

• The Odeion: This small theater, designed for musical performances and poetry recitations, accommodated 380 spectators in its semicircular seating arrangement. The acoustics, carefully calculated using Roman architectural principles, allowed performers to be heard clearly throughout the audience area without artificial amplification.