Caesarea

(sēˌzə-rēˈə, sĕsˌə-, sĕzˌə-)

1. also Caesarea Pal·e·sti·nae (pălˌĭ-stīˈnē) An ancient seaport of Palestine south of present-day Haifa, Israel. It was founded (30 B.C.) by Herod the Great and later became the capital of Roman Judea. The city was destroyed by Muslims in 1265.
2. also Caesarea Phil·ip·pi (fĭlˈĭ-pī, fĭ-lĭpˈī) An ancient city of northern Palestine near Mount Hermon in present-day southwest Syria. It was built in the first century A.D. on the site of a center for the worship of Pan.
3. also Caesarea Maz·a·ca (măzˈə-kə) An ancient city of Cappadocia on the site of present-day Kayseri in central Turkey. The chief city of the region, it was destroyed by Persians in A.D. 260.