Tiberias

City in northeastern Israel, on the western shore of Lake Tiberias, 205 m/640 ft below sea level; population (1995 est) 40,100. Industries include fishing, agriculture, and tourism. One of the few ancient cities still existing in Israel, Tiberias was founded by Herod Antipod in AD 19 and played an important role in the development of Judaism.

The name is derived from the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The city was the seat of the Sanhedrin (ancient supreme court) in the 2nd century and contains the shrines of several Jewish saints. It is particularly associated with development of the Palestinian Talmud. Jews became a majority of the population of the modern town in the 1920s. The Arab population of the town fled in 1948. The city also contains the monastery of St Peter. Medicinal springs, known since biblical times, have helped the growth of tourism in Tiberias.