Hippos (Golan Heights)

**Hippos** () or **Sussita** (Aramaic, ) was an ancient city. It is now an archaeological site. It is near the Golan Heights, east of the Sea of Galilee, in the northern Jordan Valley.

Hippos was a Hellenistic city. It was part of the Decapolis: a group of 10 cities that were part of the Greco-Roman culture. They were more similar to this culture than to people in the area who spoke Semitic languages.

Later, most people in Hippos were Christian. There was less Christianity in the area by the end of the Byzantine period and through the Early Muslim period.

Hippos was abandoned after the 749 earthquake.

## Other websites

- Full list of Hippos related publications and links
- Hippos (Sussita) – Excavation Project.
- Pan at Hippos, BAR, November–December 2015.
- "Antiochia Hippos: Revealing a lost city of the Roman Decapolis", Current World Archaeology 69, 2015.
- "The Spade Hits Sussita", Forty Groundbreaking Articles from Forty Years of Biblical Archaeology Review, November 2015.
- Explanatory signs in English and in Hebrew set at Hippos by the expedition (2014).
- Pictures of Hippos

## Further reading

- Bagatti, Bellarmino. "Hippos-Susita, an Ancient Episcopal See." _Ancient Christian Villages of Galilee._ Jerusalem: Franciscan Printing Press, 2001. pp. 59–66.
- Burdajewicz, J. Wall Painting Decoration from the North-West Church in Hippos-Sussita of the Decapolis, _Études et Travaux_  XXX (2017), 161–180.
- Burdajewicz, M. Glass Finds in Archaeological Context. A Case Study of Hippos (Sussita), _Études et Travaux_  XXIV (2011), 22–40.
- Burdajewicz, M. From Pagan Temple to Church in Late Antiquity Palestine A View from Hippos-Sussita", _Études et Travaux_ XXX (2017), 29–71.
- Burdajewicz, M. The Glass Vessels of the Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic Periods at Hippos: An Overview of the Main Types. In: M. Eisenberg, _Hippos - Sussita of the Decapolis: The First Twelve Seasons of Excavations 2000-2011_, Volume II, The Zinman Institute of Archaeology, 2018, 276–319.
- Burdajewicz, M. and Młynarczyk, J. Elements of the Liturgical Furniture in an 8th-century Church (NWC) in Hippos (Susita), Israel" _Series Byzantina_ IV, Warszawa 2006, 9-37.
- Burdajewicz, M. and Młynarczyk, J. Reading the record of the last Christians of Susita (Hippos). In: P. Ballet, S. Lemaître, I. Bertrand (eds), _De la Gaule à l' Orient méditerranéen. Fonctions et status des mobiliers archéologiques dans leur contexte_, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, Institut Français d'archéologie orientale, 2018, 139–144.
- Chancey, Mark A. and Adam Porter. "The Archaeology of Roman Palestine." _Near Eastern Archaeology,_ Vol. 64, No. 4. December 2001. pp. 164–198.
- Eisenberg, Michael. http://hippos.haifa.ac.il/images/Publications/BAR_ND15_Eisenberg_2S.pdf "Pan at Hippos", _Biblical Archaeology Review_, Vol. 41/6, November/December 2015, p. 40–45, 72.
- Eisenberg, Michael. http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/summer-2015/article/new-discoveries-at-hippos "New Discoveries at Hippos"], _Popular Archaeology_, 2015.
- Eisenberg, Michael. http://hippos.haifa.ac.il/images/Publications/Eisenberg_Mivzarim.pdf "The Military Architecture of Antiochia Hippos (Sussita) during the Roman Period"] in: Aviam, M. (ed.), _"From Watch Tower to Fortified city": Forts and Fortresses in Northern Israel from the Canaanites to the IDF_, p. 113–129 (Hebrew), 2015.
- Eisenberg, Michael. "Hippos-Sussita: From a Polis in the Decapolis to a Declining Town", _Qadmoniot_ 151, Jerusalem 2016, p. 2-17 (Hebrew).
- Eisenberg, Michael (editor). Hippos of the Decapolis and its Region - 18 Years of Research, _Michmanim_ 27, Haifa, December 2017.
- Eisenberg, Michael. "Antiochia Hippos: Revealing a lost city of the Roman Decapolis" _Popular Archaeology,_ March 2012.
- Eisenberg, M. _Hippos (Sussita) of the Decapolis: The First Twelve Seasons of Excavations (2000–2011)_, Volume II, The Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Haifa 2018.
- Eisenberg, M. A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO ANCIENT HIPPOS Above the Sea of Galilee, Israel 2021.
- Epstein, Claire. "Hippos (Sussita)." _The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land._ Vol. 2. Ed. Ephraim Stern. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society & Carta, 1993.
- Łajtar, A. Greek Inscriptions. In: _Hippos - Sussita of the Decapolis: The First Twelve Seasons of Excavations 2000-2011_, Volume I, A. Segal, M. Eisenberg, J. Młynarczyk, M. Burdajewicz, M. Schuler, The Zinman Institute of Archaeology, Haifa 2013, 250–277.
- Łajtar, A. and Młynarczyk, J. A Faction Acclamation Incised on a Pithos Found Near the North-West Church at Hippos (Sussita), _Études et Travaux_  XXX(2017), 289–302.
- Młynarczyk, J. Hippos (Sussita): Exploration of the North-west Church Complex (Areas NWC and OPB) in 2002, _Światowit_ IV (XLV), Fasc. A, 2003, 73–78.
- Młynarczyk, J. and Burdajewicz, M. North-West Church in Hippos (Sussita), Israel: Five Years of Archaeological Research (2000-2004), _Eastern Christian Art_ 2 (2005), 39–58.
- Młynarczyk, J. Blessed Wine: a Newly Discovered Winery at the North-West Church in Hippos – Susita (Israel), _Przez granice czasu. Księga Pamiątkowa Jerzego Gąssowskiego_, Pultusk 2008, 386–395.
- Młynarczyk, J. Architectural and Functional/Liturgical Development of the North-West Church in Hippos (Sussita), _Etudes et Travaux_ XXII (2008), 147–170.
- Młynarczyk, J. The fading lights of a church. In: D. Frangié et Jean-François Salles éds., _Lampes antiques du Bilad es Sham_, Paris 2011, 183–195.
- Młynarczyk, J. Umayyad-period Terracotta Lamps from Hippos (Susita),  Jund al Urdunn. In: D. Frangié et Jean-François Salles éds., _Lampes antiques du Bilad es Sham_, Paris 2011, 197-210
- Młynarczyk, J. Hellenistic Pottery Deposits at Hippos of the Decapolis, _Proceedings of the 7 Epistemonike Synantese gia ten Ellenistike Keramike, Aigio 4-8. 04. 2005_, Athena 2011.
- Młynarczyk, J. Churches and the Society in Byzantine-period Hippos, _Proceedings of the conference   Decapolis, ARAM Society_, Oxford, 7–10 July 2008, 253–284.
- Młynarczyk, J. Wine for the Christians in Early Islamic Susita (Hippos of the Decapolis), _Etudes et Travauv_ XXVI (2013), 473-485
- Młynarczyk, J. and Burdajewicz, M. The Northwest Church Complex.  In: _Hippos - Sussita of the Decapolis: The First Twelve Seasons of Excavations 2000-2011_, Volume I, A. Segal, M. Eisenberg, J. Mlynarczyk, M. Burdajewicz, M. Schuler, The Zinman Institute of Archaeology, Haifa 2013, 194–217.
- Parker, S. Thomas. "The Byzantine Period: An Empire's New Holy Land." _Near Eastern Archaeology,_ Vol. 62, No. 3. September 1999. pp. 134–171.
- Radziejowska, E. and Burdajewicz, J. Conservation. In: _Hippos - Sussita of the Decapolis: The First Twelve Seasons of Excavations 2000-2011_, Volume I, A. Segal, M. Eisenberg, J. Młynarczyk, M. Burdajewicz, M. Schuler, The Zinman Institute of Archaeology, Haifa 2013, 302–311.
- Russell, Kenneth W. "The Earthquake Chronology of Palestine and Northwest Arabia from the 2nd through the Mid-8th Century A.D." _Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research,_ No. 260. 1982. pp. 37–53.
- A. Segal, M. Eisenberg**,** J. Młynarczyk, M. Burdajewicz, M. Schuler, _Hippos (Sussita) of the Decapolis: The First Twelve Seasons of Excavations (2000–2011)_, Volume I, The Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Haifa 2014.
- Segal, Arthur and Eisenberg, Michael. "Unearthing Sussita"_Popular Archaeology,_ March 2012.

## Infobox (ancient site)

- **name**: Hippos
- **alternate name**: Sussita/Sūsiya/Qal'at el-Ḥuṣn
- **image**: Sussita - Aerial photography April 2017.jpg
- **caption**: Aerial view of Hippos (2017)
- **map size**: 200
- **region**: Golan Heights
- **type**: Ancient city
- **part of**: Decapolis
- **material**: Basalt and nari
- **built**: ca. 170 BCE
- **abandoned**: 749
- **epochs**: Chalcolithic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad
- **excavations**: https://www.dighippos.com
- **archaeologists**: Arthur Segal, Michael Eisenberg, Arleta Kowalewska
- **condition**: In ruins, partly reconstructed
- **ownership**: National Park
- **public access**: yes
- **website**: https://www.dighippos.com