Researchers may have found the home town of Peter and two other apostles of Jesus near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, an archaeologist said Monday .
Israeli and American archaeologists have likely uncovered the lost Roman city of Julias near the banks of the lake, also known as Lake Tiberias , Mordechai Aviam of Kinneret Institute for Galilean Archaeology said.
First- century Roman historian Flavius Josephus wrote that Julias was built around 30 AD on the ruins of Bethsaida , a fishing village where Peter was born according to the Gospel of John .
Christians recognise Saint Peter, originally a fisherman , as one of the first followers of Jesus and the leader of the early Church following the ascension.
The Catholic Church also venerates him as its first pope .
Two other apostles — Philip and Peter’s brother Andrew — are also believed to have been born or lived in Bethsaida .
Archaeologists have long sought to locate Julias, focusing their search on three different sites.
Aviam told AFP that one of the sites, the only one so far excavated , was believed to be the correct site.
“We have uncovered fragments of pottery, coins, and the remains of a public bath , which tends to prove that it was not a small village , but a town which may correspond to Julias, ” he said.
“Based on these findings , we believe this site is likely to be located at the site of Bethsaida . ”
The site, not far from the Jordan River, is a few hundred meters from Lake Tiberias .
Water levels would have been far higher during the first century.
Work is also being carried out on another site a few kilometers away , Aviam added.
He said he hoped further excavations would reveal evidence from pre - Roman times , including ancient Jewish remains , which could help verify whether the site is Bethsaida .
The site will not immediately be opened to the public, he said.
AFP
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