Hammat Tiberias

Lore & Background

According to the Jerusalem Talmud, a village once rested upon the site and was distinct from Tiberias. The sages of the Talmud held that the springs were heated when they streamed past the entrance of Hell. Archaeologists have concluded the site was built on the ruins of the biblical city of Hammath, though the finds of excavations are limited to the 1st–8th centuries CE. The small town eventually merged with Tiberias.

Two synagogue sites have been excavated at Hammat Tiberias. The first, known as Hammath Tiberias North or Synagogue A, was uncovered in 1921 by Nachum Slouschz under the sponsorship of the Jewish Palestine Exploration Society and the Department of Antiquities. This dig was a watershed event as the first archaeological excavation conducted under Jewish auspices. The synagogue stood on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, built in three stages from c. 250 CE, with its main period of occupation in the 4th–5th centuries.

The second synagogue, called 'Synagogue of Severus' or Synagogue B, was excavated by Moshe Dothan in 1961–3. It is noted for its elaborate mosaic floor dated to the second half of the fourth century CE. The mosaic features three panels: a Torah shrine flanked by menorahs, a zodiac wheel with Helios, and Greek inscriptions. The name 'Severus' appears several times in the inscriptions, leading to the building's name.

Reader's Guide

Hammat Tiberias holds significance as a site that bridges Jewish religious tradition with Hellenistic cultural influences. The two synagogues excavated there provide key evidence for the development of Jewish communal worship and art in late antiquity. The 'Synagogue of Severus' is particularly important for its mosaic floor, which includes a depiction of the Greek god Helios and a zodiac wheel—a rare and early example of figurative art in a synagogue context. This mosaic, along with Greek donor inscriptions, suggests a degree of self-confident cohabitation of Judaism with pagan Hellenistic cultures. The site also preserves the 'Chair of Moses' and a limestone menorah now at the Israel Museum. The hot springs, mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud and associated with the entrance of Hell by Talmudic sages, add a layer of folkloric and religious tradition. The 1921 excavation of the northern synagogue marked a milestone in Jewish archaeology in the Land of Israel. Overall, Hammat Tiberias offers a window into the religious, social, and artistic life of Jewish communities from the 1st through 8th centuries CE.

Did You Know?

• The site was rediscovered in 1920 during construction of the Tiberias-Samakh road.
• The 1921 excavation of the northern synagogue was the first archaeological dig conducted under Jewish auspices in the Land of Israel.
• The mosaic floor of the Synagogue of Severus dates to the second half of the fourth century CE, though earlier synagogue mosaic pavements are known, such as those at Ein Gedi and Dura-Europos.
• The zodiac mosaic includes a figure of Helios, not Libra; claims about circumcision are speculative and not confirmed.