Like Jerusalem, Tiberias is regarded as a “holy place” by both Christian and Jew. To the Christian it has been rendered sacred by the presence of Christ, when he dwelt by the lake and taught along its shores. To the Jew it is rendered sacred by the rabbinical belief that the Messiah will rise from the waters of the lake, land in this city, and establish his throne at Safed. The steep hills which hem in the lake here retire a little, leaving a strip of undulating ground about ¼ m. wide and 2 m. long. At its northern end, close to the water, stands the modern town, of a rectangular form and surrounded by a modern wall with towers at intervals; both walls and towers are now in a sad state of dilapidation. In some places they are prostrate, so that one can ride in and out over them, at others there are wide rents reaching from top to bottom, at others holes are seen in the towers as if made by a breaching battery—all affording striking proof of the terrible ravages of the earthquake of Jan. I, 1837. Of course no attempts have been made to rebuild them; repairs do not come within the province of the modern Turks. The town looks as if it had shrunk away from the tottering walls, and gathered itself up into a compact mass far out of the reach of danger. In fact, if the ramparts were away, Tiberias would only appear what it is —a village of 2000 Inhab. It contains 800 Jews, poor, squalid, and sickly-looking as those in the other “holy cities ” of Palestine. They occupy a little quarter of their own in the middle of the town, and have several synagogues and schools, in which some little remnant of their rabbinical learning is still kept up. They are divided into 2 sects—the Sephardim, chiefly from Northern Africa and Spain, who speak a corrupt Spanish ; and the Askenazim, mostly fugitives from Russian despotism. Hard, indeed, must that despotism be that would drive them to such a place as Tiberias. Close on the shore to the N. of the Jews’ quarter is a little Latin convent and church, inhabited by a solitary Italian monk. Tradition has placed it on the spot where the miraculous draught of fishes was landed after our Lord's resurrection (John Xxi.).

The ruins of the ancient city are scattered along the shore to the southward, extending as far as the hot-baths. They consist of heaps of | stones, foundations of the wall close to the water, and a few dozens of granite columns strewn about in confusion. Not a solitary building remains. The very foundations of palaces and temples have disappeared ; and the greater part of their materials have been carried off to the modern town.

History.—The city of Tiberias is only mentioned in the New Testament in connexion with the Lake (John vi. 1, 23; xxi. 1). Josephus tells the story of its origin. It was founded by Herod Antipas (about A.D. 16), the murderer of John the Baptist, and named in honour of his friend and patron the Emperor Tiberius. The Rabbins say that the old city of Rakketh (Josh, xix. 35) stood on the same site; while Jerome affirms that it was previously called Chinnereth (id.). The new city was endowed with many privileges and immunities, and, consequently, soon became the capital of the province of Galilee. Tiberias bore a conspicuous part in the wars that attended the destruction of Jerusalem; especially while Josephus the historian commanded in Galilee. It subsequently became the chief residence of the Jews in Palestine; and for 3 centuries continued to be the metropolis of their race. The Sanhedrim, it appears, was first removed to Jamnia on the plain of Philistia; then it wandered to Sepphoris; and it finally found a resting-place here about the middle of the 2nd centy., when the celebrated Rabbi Judah Hakkodesh, the compiler of the Mishna, was president. He died about the close of the centy., and was succeeded by others scarcely less famous as critics— according to the Jewish model—and commentators. Among these was Rabbi Jochanan, who composed the Gemara, better known as the Jerusalem Talmud. From the scholars of Tiberias also proceeded the Masorah, or tradition intended to preserve the purity of the Hebrew Scriptures, and the pronunciation of that language. The remaining history of Tiberias has little interest. It was captured successively by the Persians under Chosroes (A.D. 614); the Arabs under Omar (A.D. 637); and the crusaders under Tancred, by whom it was honoured by a bishop. In the middle of last centy. it fell into the hands of an Arab sheikh, called Dhâher el-‘Omar, who built the walls and towers, which now look so picturesque in their decline. The tombs of many rabbis of ponderous learning and wondrous sanctity are shown on the hill-side behind the town; and round these the modem Israelites cling, deeming it almost as great a blessing to have their dust laid by their side as in the valley of Jehoshaphat itself. Among these may be mentioned R. Jochanan above referred to, R. Akiba with 24,000 of his disciples, and lastly the great Maimonides.

(pages 421-423)