Joseph L. Rife (eds.), "Burchard of Mt. Sion, Description of the Holy Land 7.17" in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia entry published October 19, 2022, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/203
   
      
         
            https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/203
         
         
        Caesaream Palestine, and Caesarea Palestinae are directly attested at Burchard of Mt. Sion, Description of the Holy Land 7.17. This passage was written ca. 1274-1285 CE possibly in Palestine.
         Burchard of Mt. Sion was a Dominican friar from Magdeburg in Lower
            Saxony who wrote the the most important description of the Holy Land from the 13th
            century. The earliest and longest account of his pilgrimage, which grew particularly
            popular during the 14th-18th centuries, described his journey from northern Germany to
            the Levant, where he stayed from 1274 to 1284, shortly before the fall of Acre, the last
            Crusader stronghold in the Holy Land, in 1291. The content of his description is based
            upon personal experience, research into ancient writings and earlier itineraries, and
            close study of scripture. In this passage about Samaria Sebaste, Burchard describes its
            excellent location with a view to the Mediterranean coast, including Caesarea.
         
        
        Breviter dico, quod magis non potest dici de civitate ista, que ad
            tantam miseriam nunc devenit, ut rei veritate sit ortus olerum, sicut Achab, rex eius,
            facere voluit de vinea Naboth Iesrahelite, eo quod esset prope domum suam. Et revera
            nunc iusto Dei iudicio non sοlum vinea ipsa, sed et palacium ipsum regis est in ortum
            olerum commutatum. Situs huius civitatis valde pulcher erat; erat enim inde prospectus
            usque ad mare Ioppes et Antipatridem et Caesaream Palestine, per
            totum quoque montem Effraym usque Ramathaym Sophim et ad Carmelum maris iuxta Accon. Et
            habundat fontibus et ortis et olivetis et bonis omnibus que requirit mundus iste.
        
        
        Ed. Laurent 1873
      
         
        
        In short, there is no more to be said about this city (sc. Samaria
            Sebaste), which has now come to such misery that in real truth it is a garden of herbs,
            just like Ahab, its king, wanted to make of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,
            because it was near his house. Indeed today, by the just judgement of God, not only that
            vineyard but also the king’s palace itself have been turned into a garden of herbs. The
            location of this city was very beautiful: the view from there (stretched) as far as the
            sea at Joppa, to Antipatris and Caesarea Palestinae, as well as
            over the entire Mount Ephraim as far as Ramathaim Zophim, and to Carmel by the sea near
            Acre. It abounds with springs, gardens, olive groves, and all the good things that an
            honest man requires.
        
        
        Adapted from Pringle 2018
      
         
        Works Cited
        
          
          7.17
          54
        
        
          
          7.17
          277
        
      
    
        I Kings 21:1-16
      
      
        Antipatris
        Carmel, Mount
        Ephraim, Mount
        Jezreel Valley
        Joppa
        Ptolemais (Acco, Accho, Acre, Akko)
        Ramathaim Zophim
        Samaria Sebaste
      
      
        Ahab
        Naboth
      
      
        Crusades
        Geography
        Hebrew Bible
        Medieval History
        Natural Environment
        Pilgrimage
        Urban Topography