This really is the part where you realise the Romans were the ultimate "over-engineers." They didn't just build a city on a mountain; they hacked the environment to make it luxurious. Here is the breakdown:
The Ultimate "Water Hack" Imagine building a city on a high, dry plateau with zero natural springs. For anyone else, that's a dealbreaker. For the Romans at Susita, it was just a puzzle to solve.
The 24-Kilometre Gravity Pipe To get water to the city, they built two massive aqueducts. We're talking about 24 kilometres (15 miles) of infrastructure. The water started at the El Al waterfall in the Golan and travelled solely by gravity.
The Basalt "High-Pressure" System Here's the genius part: between the Golan plateau and the mountain of Susita, there's a deep valley (the "saddle"). To get water across that gap and up the hill, they used the siphon principle (the communicating-vessels effect).
They carved hollow basalt blocks and fitted them together with insane precision to create a high-pressure pipe.
Why basalt? Because it's tough as nails and could handle the massive water pressure without exploding. You can still see these stone pipes lying around today.
Luxury as a Power Move The fact that Susita had public baths and fountains wasn't just about hygiene—it was a flex. Bringing water from 24km away so that you can have a spa day on top of a desert mountain is the ultimate "civilisation" statement. It was their way of saying, "We don't just survive nature; we dominate it."
Logic vs Chaos The city layout followed the classic Cardo and Decumanus (perfectly straight grid lines). This stood in total contrast to the messy, jagged mountains surrounding it. To the Greeks and Romans, this order was "Cosmos"—the triumph of human reason over natural chaos.
Imagine the perfect spring morning in Israel—the sun is warm but not yet "blasting" you, and the air smells like fresh wildflowers. It's the absolute best time to grab the keys and head to the eastern side of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).
First Stop: Kursi & The Views Start your day at Kursi. It's this massive Byzantine monastery ruin where the vibe is just... super chill. You can walk across ancient mosaics and literally feel the history. But don't stay too long because the drive up the mountain is even better. Make sure to pull over at Mitzpe Nukieb. On a clear day, the view is insane—you see the whole blue "bowl" of the Kinneret stretched out from Tiberias to the Golan Heights. It's one of those "stop and just stare" moments.
The Main Event: Susita (Hippos) Then, you've got the crown jewel: Susita. It's like a ghost city sitting on a hill. They call it the "Pompeii above the lake." You'll walk through the old Roman forum and see giant columns that were knocked down by an earthquake 1,200 years ago and just... stayed there. It's got this wild mix of ancient Roman vibes and old Israeli military outposts.
Trains and Hummus When you head back down, swing by the old Tzemach train station. It's been restored and feels like a movie set from the early 1900s—back when trains ran all the way from Haifa to Damascus.
Finally, once you're officially "toured out," hit up Hummus Eliyahu at the Tzemach junction. Trust me, a warm bowl of creamy hummus with olive oil, fluffy pita, and a solid cup of coffee is the only way to end a trip like this.
Pro tip: Go right now while it's spring. The Golan is bright green, and everything looks like a masterpiece.
