Sea of Galilee trade route map illustration

The Sea of Galilee is the backdrop for innumerable stories in the Gospels. Jesus based his ministry in Capernaum, on the northern shoreline of the lake. Several communities mentioned in the Gospels are scattered in that area. The “sea” is a lake, about 13 miles from north to south and seven miles east to west in its northern portion. Though it was squarely in the middle of a very conservative Jewish region of the Galilee, Capernaum was also connected to people of different cultures. A Roman garrison and tax office was headquartered in Capernaum, in part because a major road came through the city. Travelers and traders moving between Asia and Africa would have been a common sight. The lake sits in a natural “bowl,” and is 700 feet (210 meters) below sea level.