Archaeologists have uncovered a 1,720-year-old Roman boundary stone in Upper Galilee, Israel, near the site where Jesus is believed to have walked on water.
The basalt slab, inscribed in Greek, was found at Tel Abel Beth Maacah and dates back to the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius Alexander, as reported by UNILAD.
The inscription names two previously unknown settlements, Tirathas and Golgol, and an imperial tax official named Basiliakos.
This discovery sheds light on Roman administrative practices and territorial control in the region during the Tetrarchy period.
Professor Uzi Leibner of Hebrew University commented: “Finding a boundary stone like this not only sheds light on ancient land ownership and taxation but also provides a tangible connection to the lives of individuals who navigated these complex systems nearly two millennia ago.”
The stone’s discovery adds to a growing body of evidence illustrating the Roman Empire’s extensive influence in the Galilee region.
Additionally, researchers have linked the name Tirathas to the site of Kh.
Turritha in modern-day Lebanon, suggesting a possible historical connection. The identification of Golgol remains speculative, though some scholars propose it may correspond to the biblical site of Golgotha.