ABSTRACT
Tiberias is another excellent example of how non-biblical sources coupled with archaeology shed considerable light on the history and importance of a site barely mentioned in the Bible. Although, in the case of Tiberias, the archaeological work has been sporadic and carried out by different people at different times. Furthermore, most of the archaeological discoveries date well after the time of Jesus. One exception is a gate discovered on the south side of the city in 1973 by Gideon Foerster, on behalf of the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums (now called the Israel Antiquities Authority), the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Israel Exploration Society. The gate was dated to the earliest period of the city (CE 20) and was apparently free-standing, serving no defensive purposes. Population estimations for Tiberias at this time range from 8,000 to 12,000 people and the size of the city has been estimated to be between 100 and 125 acres (see Crossan and Reed, 2001: 71). During the Byzantine period (fourth-sixth centuries CE), a wall was attached to the centuries-old gate for defensive purposes.
