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 Hamat Gader  56 pictures
 4 minutes HQ video Hamat Gader's claim to fame is its hot mineral springs, whose waters reach 52? ?. The water from the springs comes from the Yarmuch River. During the Roman era, the site served as a Roman bathing area and was called Gader. Roman Baths  Gader was included in "the treaty of ten cities" 'Decapolis'. The city's ruins can still be seen a kilometers to the south of Hamat Gader, within the current Jordanian border.  The Romans, during the 2nd century A.D. first exploited the springs and converted the site into thermal baths. In time, additional structures were added and the site grew and continued developing throughout the Byzantine era. Bathing structures were erected around the spring, including a warm water room, also known as the "Caldarium". This room large, spacious, oval shaped building contained an indented pool set in its centre, surrounded by stone benches for the convenience of the bathers. Adjacent to this room were others, all containing small arches recesses in the wall, ordained with tiny columns. Historical evidence has revealed that one of these rooms was used by lepers as part of their healing process.  The hot water springs of Hamat Gader became so famous that Ephiphaneus wrote, in the 4th century A.D. " Between the 7th and the 9th centuries A.D., the Arabs continued to make use of the springs thereby making architectural changes to suite their tastes and needs. An ancient synagogue, erected on the site during the Byzantine period, is the only evidence which remains of the existence of a Jewish community. This synagogue was erected upon a mount, west of the springs. A mosaic floor and Aramaic inscriptions preserve the names of those who contributed to its construction.      Back to Israel Index
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