![]() By the 6th century it was sufficiently large to have its own bishop. The Mishnah, the first authoritative collection of Jewish oral law, was compiled here.Ī Christian community was present by the 4th century. Pilgrims on Decumanus street at Sepphoris ()Īfter the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Sepphoris became a centre of Jewish learning and seat of the Sanhedrin supreme court. A mainly Jewish city, it was given its Hebrew name, Zippori, because it sits on a hilltop like a bird (zippor).Īccording to the historian Josephus, Herod Antipas made it “the ornament of Galilee”, a term also implying the military connotation of an impregnable city. Sepphoris rose to prominence during the century before Christ because it overlooked two major highways. During the 12th century the Crusaders built a huge Church of St Anna, possibly on the site of their home. ![]() According to tradition, the original home of Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne (or Anna), was at Sepphoris.It may also be where Jesus gained insights into the building trade - such as the need to build with foundations on rock rather than on sand (Luke 6:48-49). This major building site, 50 minutes’ walk from Nazareth, would have offered Joseph many years of employment. The rebuilding of the city by Galilee’s ruler, Herod Antipas, may have attracted the building tradesman Joseph and his wife Mary to settle in Nazareth when they returned with Jesus from Egypt.Though it is not mentioned in the New Testament, it is of interest to Christian pilgrims for two main reasons: ![]() Sepphoris, a ruined city 6.5 kilometres northwest of Nazareth, was the capital of Galilee during the time of Jesus. Sepphoris with Nazareth on hill in distance (Steve Peterson) ![]()
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