Arbel Cliff

The impressive Arbel cliff overlooks the Sea of Galilee. Its large sets of caves were used for shelter and as a fortress.

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Contents:
Background
Location
Biblical Map
History
Structure
Photos
* General views
* Trail
* Lower level
* Middle level
* Upper level
Biblical Refs
Historic Refs
Links

Background:

The Arbel Cliffs hang over the sea of Galilee, and its natural caves were used as shelters for rebels against Herod, fortress during the revolt against the Romans and was fortified again in later periods. An Ottoman period fortress was built into some of the caves. Ruins of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine villages lie below the cliffs and on its south-western side.

This web page focuses on the caves of the northern face of the Arbel. For other sites in the Arbel area, visit the overview page.

Location and Aerial Map:

The cliffs are located on the north-west side of the Sea of Galilee (actually, it is a lake). They are located 4 Kilometers north of Tiberias. They stand over Mary Magdalene’s village, today a town called Migdal. The observatory terrace, where the photos are taken, are at the top of the south-side cliffs, at 181 meters above sea level. The lake is 200 meters under the sea level, so this is a difference of almost 400 meters!

An aerial map is shown below, indicating the major points of interest around the cliffs of Arbel.

Biblical map:

A map of the Biblical period is illustrated in the following figure. Arbel is located above the ancient trade routes between the south-west (via Yokneam or Megiddo) and the north-east (via Capernaum, Bethsaida to Damascus and beyond). Another route passes along the shores of the Sea of Galilee towards Tiberias, then south to Beth She’an (Skythopolis).

(based on Bible Mapper 3.0)

History:

The Arbel Caves, located on the dramatic cliffs of Mount Arbel in northern Israel, have a rich history dating back to ancient times. These caves, carved into the rock face, were used for various purposes over the centuries, particularly as hideouts and fortifications.

Hellenistic and Hasmonean Periods (2nd–1st Century BC)

During the 2nd century BC, Jewish rebels opposing Greek rule (under the Seleucid Empire) used the Arbel caves as a refuge.
In the 1st century BC, during the reign of the Hasmonean ruler Alexander Jannaeus, the caves were fortified and inhabited by Jewish fighters who resisted his rule.

Roman Period (1st Century BC)

The Roman general Herod the Great, before becoming king of Judea, was tasked with suppressing Jewish rebels in Galilee (around 39 BC). The rebels had fortified the caves, making them difficult to attack. To overcome them, Herod’s forces used a dramatic strategy: soldiers were lowered in baskets from the top of the cliff to burn out or kill the rebels hiding in the caves. This brutal event was described by the Jewish historian Josephus in his work Antiquities of the Jews.

Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods (4th–8th Century AD)

During the Byzantine period, the area around Mount Arbel became home to Jewish and Christian communities.
Some caves were used as monastic dwellings. Archaeological remains suggest continued habitation into the early Islamic period

Ottoman Period (16th Century AD)

The Druze fortress inside the Arbel Caves dates back to the 17th century, during the time of the Druze ruler Fakhr al-Din II (1572–1635), who was one of the most powerful leaders of Mount Lebanon and the Galilee. His fortress inside the caves, named Qalat abu-Ma’an, played a significant role in his struggle against the Ottoman Empire.

Fakhr al-Din II was a Druze prince and leader of the Ma’an dynasty, Fakhr al-Din II sought to expand his control over Lebanon, parts of Syria, and northern Palestine, including the Galilee region. He defied Ottoman rule, aiming to create an independent Druze state, and built alliances with European powers, including Tuscany.

Why was the Arbel Cave Fortress built? Around 1620, Fakhr al-Din II fortified the caves in Mount Arbel to serve as a stronghold against the Ottomans. The location was ideal because:
* The steep cliffs made it difficult to attack.
* The caves were large enough to house troops and supplies.
* The site provided strategic control over the Sea of Galilee and surrounding trade routes.

The fortress was built inside the caves, utilizing existing rock formations that were previously used during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The caves were reinforced with stone walls and defensive structures. It likely included living quarters, storage areas, and battlements for defense. Remnants of the fortifications can still be seen today inside some of the caves.

Key Features of the Fortress Ruins

Stone Walls and Fortifications – Several caves still have partially preserved stone walls built by Druze forces.
The walls were constructed to close off cave entrances, turning them into fortified rooms. Some walls show signs of battle damage, possibly from the Ottoman siege in the 1620s.

Defensive Battlements – The fortress had lookout points and archer slots carved into the rock, allowing defenders to fire at approaching enemies. The steep cliffs provided natural protection, making direct assaults nearly impossible. Some caves were connected by hidden passages, allowing defenders to move between different levels of the cliffside fortress.

Living Quarters and Storage Areas – The caves contained sleeping chambers for soldiers and possibly even rooms for high-ranking Druze commanders. Storage rooms held supplies such as food, weapons, and water. Archaeological findings suggest that ceramic vessels and tools from the period were used within the fortress.

Escape Routes and Hidden Entrances – There is evidence of secret tunnels that may have allowed Druze fighters to escape or move between caves unnoticed. Some entrances to the caves are extremely narrow, which made it easier to defend against invaders.

Ottoman Siege Marks – In some areas, there are signs of destruction from the Ottoman attack, including collapsed walls and burn marks on stone surfaces, possibly from fires set to smoke out the defenders. Some of the caves may have been sealed or partially destroyed by Ottoman forces after their victory.

The Fall of the Fortress

In 1623, the Ottomans launched a major campaign against Fakhr al-Din II. The fortress at Arbel, though well-defended, was eventually captured by Ottoman forces. By 1633, Fakhr al-Din II himself was defeated, captured, and later executed in Istanbul in 1635.

Modern Times

Today, the Arbel National Park and Nature Reserve preserves the cliffs and caves. Visitors can hike to the caves, see remains of fortifications, and enjoy views of the Sea of Galilee and surrounding landscapes.

Structure of the caves:

The north-facing cliff of Mount Arbel is home to an extensive system of fortified caves, which were used for defense and shelter throughout history. These caves were modified over time, particularly during the Hellenistic, Roman, and Druze periods, and contain remnants of walls, staircases, and defensive features.

General Layout and Organization

The caves are arranged in tiers along the vertical cliff face, with some being naturally formed and others artificially expanded. The main structural elements include:

Upper Cave Complex

Located at the highest points of the cliff, these caves were the most difficult to access. Likely served as watchtowers or high-command posts due to their strategic vantage points over the Sea of Galilee and the surrounding valley. Some caves in this area feature stone reinforcements and remnants of defensive walls built to block access.

Middle Cave Complex (Main Defensive and Residential Area)

This is the largest section of the fortress-like cave system. It consists of multiple interconnected caves, which were modified over time to serve as living quarters, storage rooms, and defensive strongholds. Stone walls were built across cave entrances to fortify them, some reaching several meters in height. Evidence of rock-cut staircases and tunnels suggests that these caves were connected internally, allowing defenders to move between them safely.

Lower Cave Complex (Access and Escape Routes)

The lowest set of caves had some of the largest openings, making them more vulnerable but also easier to supply with food and water. Likely used as entry points, storage rooms, or areas for lower-ranking defenders.
Archaeological surveys suggest that some hidden exits or tunnels led from these caves to the mountain’s slopes, providing possible escape routes.

An imaginative AI-generated illustration of the fortress, based on the AI tool analyzing the texts from the web, is shown here.

Imaginative illustration of the fortress structure (Image created by AI using DALL·E through OpenAI’s ChatGPT).

Key Architectural Features

Defensive Walls and Battlements – Thick stone walls were built across the mouths of the caves, creating a fortress-like structure. Some walls contained narrow firing slits, allowing defenders to shoot arrows while remaining protected.
Rock-Cut Staircases and Passageways – Stairs and ladders were carved into the rock, connecting different levels of the fortress. Some staircases lead to hidden chambers, possibly used for storage or ambushes.
Water Storage and Supply System – Some caves contain evidence of cisterns and water channels, which would have been essential for long-term survival. Rainwater collection systems may have been used to supply defenders during sieges.
Escape Tunnels and Secret Passages – There is evidence of narrow tunnels leading between caves, allowing defenders to move unseen. Some tunnels may have led down the cliff face to hidden exits, offering an escape route during an attack.
Tactical Importance of the Layout – The multi-tiered structure allowed defenders to hold strategic positions at different heights, making direct attacks difficult. The steep cliffs acted as natural barriers, forcing attackers to climb while under fire. The interconnected caves provided secure movement paths for defenders and allowed them to withstand long sieges.

Photos:

(a) General View:

The Arbel Cliffs overlook the Sea of Galilee and show a spectacular panorama. The following photo was taken from the observatory terrace on the top of the cliffs, overlooking the north side of the sea of Galilee. The first two villages are Migdal (center left, where the road bends) and Kibbutz Ginosar (center; on the shore). Just above that, in the background on the beaches of the lake is the ancient village of Capernaum. Further to the east is where the Jordan river flows into the lake, and in its background and along the right side of the lake are the Golan heights.

The Arbel cliff is 180m above sea level, and 380m above the Sea of Galilee.

Click on the photos to view in higher resolution…

The following photo shows a view of the Arbel cliff as seen from the sea of Galilee. The cliff is 1,750m long, 100m high, and has a steep, almost vertical, slope to the valley below. There are hundreds of caves in the cliff. Most of the caves were created by nature – rain and wind dissolved the limestone and opened up the cavities. The caves are structured in tiers, with some located higher up on the cliff and others lower down. Some of the caves were enlarged and used for residential, as hiding complexes, or fortified. Some of the caves are connected by narrow passages and hand-carved stairways.

Under the cliff are the ruins of the Roman city of Arbela.

(b) Walk to the cliff

The caves on the Arbel are on its north face. They could be reached from the valley below by a steep ascent. However, we reached the caves from the summit where we parked the cars. There are 2 options to descent from the summit – from the west side or the east side, and we hiked from both sides in the past. This time our group descended from the east side of the summit, as seen here.

The trail descends to the bottom of the cliff. The descent is not so easy, and takes a while to carefully climb down between the rocks.

The trail continues westward along the foothill, just below the cliff. This trail is leveled and easy to walk along it.

In this photo, on the other side of the Arbel valley, is Mt. Nitai. That cliff was in ancient geological periods part of Mt. Arbel, but split. It also has hundreds of caves cut into the surface.

Along the trail are small and large caves, and cows that graze in the foothills.

Continuing along the trail…. what a view!

Along the trail are wild flowers, such as this Israeli Luf (Arum Palaestinum). It is poisonous and has a smell of rotting flesh.

Another poisonous flower – Golden Henbane (Hyoscyamus aureus), Hebrew: שיכרון זהוב. It is poisonous to all livestock and humans, even at with a low dose.

Above the trail is the tall cliff. Many small openings are seen on its surface.

The trail continues along ~800m.

The valley below, Nahal Arbel, is more than 300m lower than the trail. On the right side of the photo are the houses of the Arab village of Hamaam. Mt. Nitai cliff is seen here on the left. On its foothill is a Roman/Byzantine period Jewish village of Horvat Vradim.

(c) The lower cave complex

The lower level of the caves are seen at the bottom of the cliff.

Along the trail are a number of caves, and cattle that herds in the area.

Walls were built over the openings of some of the caves.

Another cave with a wall built at its entrance:

(d) The middle cave complex

A view of the middle level:

A staircase, made of hewn basalt stones, leads up to the middle level.

A closer detail of the staircase:

Walls were built along the entrances to the caves.

A closer detail of the wall is next. Thick stone walls were built across the mouths of the caves, creating a fortress-like structure.

The balcony above the wall is seen here.

A view of this section as seen from the level above it. The mouth of this cave is vary large and the wall protected it.

The middle level is the largest section of the fortress-like cave system, consisting of multiple interconnected caves, which were modified over time to serve as living quarters, storage rooms, and defensive strongholds. Evidence of rock-cut staircases and tunnels suggests that these caves were connected internally, allowing defenders to move between them safely.

(e) The upper cave complex

A staircase leads up to a higher level. Stairs and ladders were carved into the rock, connecting different levels of the fortress.

A view of the staircase and the upper level above it:

Some staircases lead to hidden chambers, possibly used for storage.

The upper terraces likely served as watchtowers or high-command posts due to their strategic vantage points over the Sea of Galilee and the surrounding valley.

A view of the upper level and the middle level:

An interconnecting passage way inside the Ottoman period fortress structure:

Some walls contained narrow firing slits, allowing defenders to shoot arrows while remaining protected.

Other sections of the upper level:

Biblical References:

(a) Hosha (10:14 ,New International Version)

This old testament text talks about a battle, but it is not clear if “Beth Arbel” refers to this site, although the dashing to the ground might imply heights. Note that “Shalman” may imply to Shalmaneser III, the Assyrian king who invaded to Israel in the first Assyrian intrusion (841BC), causing damages to Hazor and other northern cities.

“the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.”

Basalt stele of Shalmaneser III (858-824BC), city of Assur

[Istanbul Archaeological Museum]

Historical References:

(a) Josephus Flavius (Antiquities of the Jews – Book XII, 11, 1)

Josephus, in his classic writings almost 2000 years ago, describes the military campaign of Bacchides, a Syrian general, against Judea, after the defeat of Nicanor by Judah the Maccabee (167 BCE)-

“…. sent Bacchides again with an army into Judea, who marched out of Antioch, and came into Judea, and pitched his camp at Arbela, a city of Galilee; and having besieged and taken those that were there in caves, (for many of the people fled into such places,) he removed, and made all the haste he could to Jerusalem”.

Roman soldiers march along a road – AI generated by Stable Diffusion

(b) Josephus Flavius (The Wars Of The Jews, Book 1, 16, 4 & 5)

Josephus describes the crash of the revolt by Herod the great (at 39/40BC), and the techniques to lower catch or kill those who hided in the caves :

“…so Herod willingly dismissed Silo to go to Ventidius, but he made an expedition himself against those that lay in the caves. Now these caves were in the precipices of craggy mountains, and could not be come at from any side, since they had only some winding pathways, very narrow, by which they got up to them; but the rock that lay on their front had beneath it valleys of a vast depth, and of an almost perpendicular declivity; insomuch that the king was doubtful for a long time what to do, by reason of a kind of impossibility there was of attacking the place. Yet did he at length make use of a contrivance that was subject to the utmost hazard; for he let down the most hardy of his men in chests, and set them at the mouths of the dens. Now these men slew the robbers and their families, and when they made resistance, they sent in fire upon them [and burnt them]; and as Herod was desirous of saving some of them, he had proclamation made, that they should come and deliver themselves up to him; but not one of them came willingly to him; and of those that were compelled to come, many preferred death to captivity. And here a certain old man, the father of seven children, whose children, together with their mother, desired him to give them leave to go out, upon the assurance and right hand that was offered them, slew them after the following manner: He ordered every one of them to go out, while he stood himself at the cave’s mouth, and slew that son of his perpetually who went out. Herod was near enough to see this sight, and his bowels of compassion were moved at it, and he stretched out his right hand to the old man, and besought him to spare his children; yet did not he relent at all upon what he said, but over and above reproached Herod on the lowness of his descent, and slew his wife as well as his children; and when he had thrown their dead bodies down the precipice, he at last threw himself down after them. By this means Herod subdued these caves, and the robbers that were in them. “

(c) Josephus Flavius (Life,37)

In this text, Josephus, as the northern commander of the revolt against the Romans before he came a writer, fortified (66AD) the Arbel cliffs as a preparation for the Roman reprisal against the revolt:

“I also fortified, in the Lower Galilee, the cities Tarichee, Tiberias, Sepphoris, and the villages, the cave of Arbela,… I also laid up a great quantity of corn in these places, and arms withal, that might be for their security afterward”.