An underwater museum is giving divers a glimpse into life during the Roman Empire along the Israeli Mediterranean coast. The Caesarea port sunk unexpectedly, and memory of it vanished until 60 years ago, when archaeologists started to uncover it. As Zhou Xiran finds out, now divers can admire wonders buried under the sea for more than two millennia.
It's not close-encounters with fish that attract divers here from all over the world. Rather, it is a unique opportunity to study Roman ruins.
It took the Romans twelve years to build the port of Caesarea, which was commissioned by Herod the Great, King of Judea. The harbour quickly became the main political and economic artery of the Roman Empire, but then it sunk for unknown reasons.
Archaeological work first started in the 1950's, and went on until 2006. They brought the sunken port back to life, along with Caesarea's above-ground wonders, including the Crusaders' church and Roman theatre. Professor Avner Raban was the first to initiate the idea of an underwater Caesarea park.
