Beit She'an has a very long history. It is situated on a main crossroad about 25 miles southeast of Tiberias. The excavations of Tel Bet She'an show that is was important as a gathering station for caravans. It was important to Egyptian rulers probably as early as the 15th century B. C.. An Egyptian basalt stone, dating from the late 14th century B. C., contains an inscription which mentions the Habiru people (who are thought to be the ancient Hebrews). It says they disturbed the peace and government authority in the area. The valley of Bet She'an was the portion of the tribe of Issachar, but the tribe of Manasseh moved some of its settlements into the territory. During Saul's reign, Beit She'an belonged to the Philistines, but during Solomons' reign, it was again under Jewish rule. The gate, the wall, and the style of the stone cutting, in the hill, belong to the Solomonic period. By the first century B. C. many Jews lived in Bet She'an. During the Hasmonean period, Bet She'an was an important administrative center, and Alexander Yannai built ramparts around the city. In 63 B. C., Pompey revived the Greek way of life, and the city became the capital of a ten Greek cities called the Decapolis Alliance. When Pompey and the Romans rebuilt Beth Shean in 63 B.C., it was renamed Scythopolis ("city of the Scythians;" Col 3:11). When the Jewish War broke out in 66 A.D., almost 13,000 Jews were murdered in Bet She'an. A Roman theater, was built in about 200 A.D.. During the mishnaic and talmudic periods Bet She'an was again inhabited by Jews. They made fine linen and grew field crops and olives. Bet She'an was then a among the world centers for the making and exporting of textiles. Bet She'an contains a synagogue, dating from about the fourth century, with a beautiful mosaic floor. The synagogue was destroyed by fire in 624 A.D.. During the early part of the 20th century, Jews started to resettle in the area and by the 1990s, Beit Shean became a predominantly Sephardic development town with about 15,000 inhabitants. Tourists travel to Beit Shean to view the archaeological remains in the city, especially the Roman Theater which can hold 7000 spectators and is one of the finest archaeological sites in all of Israel.
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| Tel Bet She'an In Background | Tel Beit Shean |
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| Tel Beit Shean | Tel Beit Shean |
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| Tel Bet Shean | Tel Bet Shean Colonnade Along Palladius Street |
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| Beit She'an Carved Capital | |
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| Tel Beit Shean Colonnade Along Palladius Street | Tel Bet She'an Theater |
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| Tel Bet She'an Theater | Tel Bet She'an Amphitheater |
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| Tel Bet She'an Theater | Tel Bet She'an |
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