Caesarea-Phillipi, far to the north of the Jewish land, at the foot of Mount Hermon, had been called Paneas (today known as Banias). The city got its former name from a nearby cave dedicated to the Greek god Pan. The tetrarch Philip (Luke 3:1) rebuilt the city, naming it Caesarea (City of the Emperor) to honour the emperor. To distinguish this city from the other, better-known Caesarea by the sea, the city got the last name Philippi, after this tetrarch.
The city of Caesarea-Phillipi had formerly been called Paneas (today known as Banias) and was located far to the north of the Jewish land, at the foot of Mount Hermon. A nearby cave was dedicated to the Greek god Pan, from whom the city also derived its former name. The tetrarch Philip (Luke 3:1) rebuilt the city and named it Caesarea (meaning City of the Emperor
) in honour of the Roman emperor. To distinguish this place from the other and better-known Caesarea by the sea, the city received the last name Philippi, after Philip himself.1
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”