Euphrates River, Vespasian Titus Tunnel
Back to Harran this morning to re-shoot some drone footage, then a long beautiful drive to the Mediterranean coast. On the way we stopped at the crossing of the Euphrates River. Our destination on the southeast Mediterranean coast was Seleucia Pierea and the ancient harbor there. This was the harbor for the city of Antioch and it is where Paul and Barnabas and John Mark set sail to Cyprus on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:4). On their return trip the apostles landed at Seleucia Pierea again. Today it is possible to see the Roman harbor walls and to walk the Titus tunnel built by the Romans (Emperor Vespasian) to divert flood waters from the city. The tunnel is nearly a mile long, 20 feet wide and over 20 feet tall in some places. The views of the mountains cascading right down to the beach are breathtaking. This is the first city where believers in Jesus resurrection were called Christians. Tomorrow we will finish seeing the Christian sites here including the grotto of St Peter, then on to Tarsus!
