Early Muslim period Tiberias

remains of roman theatre



hammat tiberias synagogue floor

the arab geographer al-muqaddasi writing in 985, describes tiberias hedonistic city afflicted heat:- 2 months dance; 2 months gobble; 2 months swat; 2 months go naked; 2 months play reed flute; , 2 months wallow in mud. capital of jordan province, , city in valley of canaan...the town narrow, hot in summer , unhealthy...there here 8 natural hot baths, no fuel need used, , numberless basins besides of boiling water. mosque large , fine, , stands in market-place. floor laid in pebbles, set on stone drums, placed close 1 another. according muqaddasi, suffered scab or ulcers, , other such diseases came tiberias bathe in hot springs 3 days. afterwards dip in spring cold, whereupon...they become cured.

in 1033 tiberias again destroyed earthquake. further earthquake in 1066 toppled great mosque. nasir-i khusrou visited tiberias in 1047, , describes city strong wall begins @ border of lake , goes around town except on water-side. furthermore, describes

numberless buildings erected in water, bed of lake in part rock; , have built pleasure houses supported on columns of marble, rising out of water. lake full of fish. [] friday mosque in midst of town. @ gate of mosque spring, on have built hot bath. [] on western side of town mosque known jasmine mosque (masjid-i-yasmin). fine building , in middle part rises great platform (dukkan), have mihrabs (or prayer-niches). round have set jasmine-shrubs, mosque derives name.

^ le strange, 1890, p. 340, quoting yakut
^ cite error: named reference dw ih2 invoked never defined (see page).
^ nir hasson, in excavation of ancient mosque, volunteers dig israeli city s golden age, @ haaretz, 17 august 2012.
^ muk. p.161 , 185, quoted in le strange, 1890, pp. 334- 337
^ le strange, 1890, pp. 336-7