Apollonia’s defenders

Life in our corner of the world has never been quiet or stable, and Tel Arshaf was no exception.

By ITSIK MAROM
Apollonia (photo credit: Itsik Marom)
Apollonia
(photo credit: Itsik Marom)
During the hot summer days, the seashore looks closer than it does the rest of the year. This illusion is welcome; when the humidity comes close to 80 percent, why shouldn’t we jump into the 100% refreshing sea? Located alongside the country’s seashore are ancient historical sites that can enrich any visit to the coast by letting you dive into history as well, even for just a few hours.
North of Herzliya Pituah, on the cliffs of the coastal plain, you will find Apollonia (Tel Arshaf) National Park. Here you will feel that time has stopped. Approximately 2,500 years ago, the Phoenicians settled on this cliff, using the small natural bay below it to build a tiny harbor that enabled them to connect commercially with the Greek world.
Life in our corner of the world has never been quiet or stable, and Tel Arshaf was no exception. The site was conquered many times – by the Greeks, the Muslims, the Romans, the Mamluks, the Ottomans and even the Jews during the Hasmonean period.
There was no wall around it, and the small town flourished. The inhabitants were farmers, glass experts, fishermen and merchants.
When the Muslims captured the town in the seventh century, the name changed to Arsuf and a fortified wall was built to protect it from a Byzantine invasion from the sea.
In 1265 CE, the fort had its first serious test. Baibars, the ruler of the Mamluks, attacked Arsuf and captured it after a 40-day siege.
The fort suffered severe damage. All of the battle stories are available on site for the present-day visitor to read and experience.
Apollonia was never inhabited again.
Recently, from 1994 to 2002, an extensive excavation took place, following which the Israel Nature and Parks Authority opened the site. This relatively small site contains a Roman villa, a cliff and a crusader fortress from around 1250 CE, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. In the fortress, there is some evidence of the city’s defense methods, such as high piles of authentic ballistae stone balls and a surrounding trench.
You can take a short trek leading straight to the main highlights or take the longer route, which will give you a better understanding of the topography and and a sense of what went on in the minds of the attackers and the defenders of Apollonia.