Video snippet of ancient columns at the Sebasita Heritage site in Samaria (Source: Mondoweiss video snippet)
Ancient columns from the ruins at Sebastia (video snippet)

Sebastia Unburied: A Bold Archaeological Push to Defend Jewish History

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The Judean Staff
Archaeology

After a century of silence, the ancient city of Sebastia—biblical Shomron—rises once again as Israeli archaeologists unearth staggering relics from the lost capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel. Perched atop the rolling hills of Samaria, the site that once ruled over a sovereign Israelite kingdom is roaring back to life, with each stone and column revealing powerful testimonies of Jewish history that had lain buried for nearly 3,000 years.

The Crown Jewel of Biblical Israel Unearthed

In just two weeks, the renewed excavation has uncovered extraordinary structures that speak to the site’s former glory. Most striking among them is a grand stone-paved ceremonial street, once flanked by majestic Herodian columns, leading from the ancient city center toward the formidable city gates.

Near the entrance, archaeologists discovered the ornate base of a long-lost monument, believed to have anchored a towering gateway or sacred structure. Though the original edifice has vanished through the ages, the craftsmanship of its foundation hints at a powerful blend of royal authority and spiritual symbolism.

This is the first comprehensive archaeological effort at Sebastia since Harvard University’s legendary expedition over a century ago, which initially exposed the fortified gate and its defensive towers. Decades of abandonment had allowed layers of debris to swallow the site’s grandeur—until now.

From Neglect to National Revival: A Government-Backed Resurrection

Sebastia’s modern renaissance was sparked by a 2023 report detailing Palestinian vandalism and cultural encroachment at the site. Outrage led to action: Israel’s government quickly allocated over NIS 30 million ($8.5 million) to transform Sebastia into a premier national heritage destination, modeled after the restored fortress-palace of Herodium.

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, who has championed Jewish historical preservation across Judea and Samaria, hailed the dig as "a long-overdue reclamation of our ancestral legacy." He declared:

“Sebastia is one of the most important sites in our national and historical heritage. I am pleased that the work undertaken as part of the resources we are investing to uncover the great splendor of ancient Samaria is already bearing fruit in preserving Jewish heritage in the region.”

Plans are already in motion to make the site accessible year-round, with a goal of welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors annually—families, schools, soldiers, and tourists—all to witness firsthand the splendor of the Israelite kingdom and the Jewish continuum that never broke.

A Site Layered in Civilizations—But Rooted in Israel

Sebastia is a living mosaic of civilizations. From Iron Age palaces attributed to the kings of Israel, to Roman temples, Crusader walls, and Ottoman ruins, the site reveals the fingerprints of empires that rose and fell—but always over ground first consecrated by the Jewish people.

And yet, in what many historians and Jewish leaders have called a cultural heist, the Palestinian Authority in 2012 sought UNESCO recognition of Sebastia as a purely Palestinian heritage site. Their application scrubbed any mention of Israel, calling it merely “a northern capital in Iron Age Palestine.”

This move echoed previous Palestinian attempts to rewrite sacred history—denying the Jewish roots of the Temple Mount, despite overwhelming archaeological evidence and thousands of years of Jewish reverence. That denial was refuted by projects like the Temple Mount Sifting Project, which continues to uncover First and Second Temple-era artifacts discarded by illegal Palestinian excavation work.

Fears that Sebastia would suffer a similar fate prompted swift Israeli action. The Knesset authorized the current excavation and placed Sebastia under tight protection, determined to ensure the site remains a beacon of truth—not a victim of political revisionism.

A Geopolitical Battleground of Memory and Meaning

Sebastia today straddles a tense boundary. Its archaeological park sits in Area C, fully controlled by Israel. But the adjacent Palestinian town—also called Sebastia—is in Area B, under joint Israeli-PA control. The location has become a flashpoint in the larger battle for narrative control over Jewish history in Judea and Samaria.

The Heritage Ministry has now earmarked an additional NIS 4 million ($1.21 million) to renovate the old train station nearby—part of a broader vision to transform Sebastia into Israel’s next great archaeological hub, much like Beit She’an or Masada.

According to Benjamin Har Even, Archaeological Staff Officer of the Civil Administration:

“We are working in Judea and Samaria to preserve and make accessible historical sites in order to perpetuate the heritage of us all.”

UNESCO’s Tentative Silence

Sebastia remains on UNESCO’s Tentative List, with the possibility of future inscription as a World Heritage Site. But the Jewish connection to Sebastia, like the Jewish connection to Jerusalem, continues to face erasure attempts through diplomatic manipulation and historical amnesia.

Until now.

With trowels in hand and history beneath their feet, Israeli archaeologists are reclaiming Sebastia—not only for Jews today, but for generations who must never forget that long before the rise of Rome or the advent of Islam, this hilltop city was the heart of the biblical Kingdom of Israel.

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