Mount Zion
The Upper Room and David's Tomb
Page coming soon
AD 30 – 70
- New Testament
The Apostles and the Early Church
From Jerusalem to the Mediterranean: the first disciples, Peter in Jaffa, Paul in Caesarea, until the destruction of the Temple.
Credit: Dr. Avishai Teicher · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
The Acts of the Apostles tell how the disciples of Jesus, gathered in Jerusalem, spread their message first in the city, then in Judea, Samaria and as far as Rome. Two coastal towns, Jaffa and Caesarea, play a key role in the story.
This period ends with the Great Jewish Revolt and the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, told in the Second Temple period.
- SourcesActs of the Apostles, letters of Paul, Flavius Josephus
- RulersRoman procurators, Herod Agrippa I (41-44)
- Key placesJerusalem, Jaffa, Caesarea Maritima
- FindsPilate inscription and Herod's harbour at Caesarea
"Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Acts 1:8
Sites from this period
3 places covered on this page. Tap a point on the map to open its guide.
Visit these places: build my tour (3 stops) →
Jaffa
The port of Jonah and Peter
Page coming soon
Caesarea Maritima
Herod's harbour city
Page coming soon
Pentecost in Jerusalem
Fifty days after Passover, at the Jewish feast of Shavuot, the disciples gathered in Jerusalem receive the Holy Spirit: this is Pentecost (Acts 2). Tradition places it in the Upper Room on Mount Zion. The first community lives in Jerusalem around Peter and James.
Peter in Jaffa, Paul in Caesarea
The account of Acts begins where that of the Passion in Jerusalem ends.
In Jaffa, Peter raises Tabitha and stays with Simon the tanner, where he receives the vision that sends him to the centurion Cornelius at Caesarea (Acts 9-10). Caesarea, the great harbour built by Herod, was also the seat of the Roman governors: Paul was held prisoner there for two years before being sent to Rome (Acts 23-26).
It was in the theatre of Caesarea that a stone engraved with the name of Pontius Pilate was found in 1961, the only known inscription from his lifetime that bears his name.
Visiting the places of the Acts of the Apostles
- Jaffa: the old town and harbour, St Peter's Church, the traditional house of Simon the tanner.
- Caesarea Maritima: national park with theatre, hippodrome, governor's palace and aqueduct.
- Mount Zion: the Upper Room, traditional site of Pentecost.
Frequently asked questions
Where did Pentecost take place?
In Jerusalem, according to chapter 2 of the Acts of the Apostles. Tradition places it in the Upper Room on Mount Zion, where it also locates the last meal of Jesus.
What happened in Jaffa in the Acts?
Peter brings a disciple named Tabitha back to life, then stays with Simon the tanner, where a vision invites him to go to the centurion Cornelius at Caesarea (Acts 9-10).
Why was Paul imprisoned at Caesarea?
Arrested in Jerusalem, he was transferred to Caesarea, seat of the Roman governor, and held there for two years under the governors Felix and then Festus. He appealed to the emperor and left for Rome (Acts 23-26).
How much time should you plan for Jaffa and Caesarea?
One day is enough: Caesarea in the morning (2 to 3 hours on site), then Jaffa at the end of the day, an hour's drive to the south.
Can you see the Pilate inscription at Caesarea?
A copy is displayed on the site at Caesarea; the original is kept at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.