Jaffa

From BibleWiki

City of Palestine and Mediterranean port, 35 miles northwest of Jerusalem. In ancient times it was Palestine's only point of communication with the Mediterranean. The cedars of Lebanon, destined for use in the construction of Solomon's Temple, were disembarked at Jaffa (2Chr 2:15 [A. V. 16]; Ez 3:7). The prophet Jonah embarked there for Tarshish (Jonah i. 3). There is no further mention of the city in the Old Testament.

Historical Data.

At a later date the Maccabean princes Jonathan and Simon wrested it from the Syrians (1Macc 10:76, xiv. 5). At the time of the Jewish insurrection against the Romans the town was taken by assault and burned by Cestius, 8,000 inhabitants being massacred by the Roman soldiers. Some time afterward the Jews rebuilt the city walls. Pirates, putting out from the port of Jaffa, troubled the coasts of Phenicia and Syria, which brought down the Romans upon the city anew. Vespasian took it by a night attack, razed it to the ground, and erected in its place a citadel in which he placed a Roman garrison.