Situated 25 miles (40 km) north of the Sea of Galilee and at the base of Mt. Hermon, Caesarea Philippi is the location of one of the largest springs feeding the Jordan River. This abundant water supply has made the area very fertile and attractive for religious worship. Numerous temples were built in this city in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

The Banias waterfall is less than 30 feet (10 m) high and is divided into two streams by a tree growing at the top. Prior to 1967, Banias was located in Syrian territory, not far from the border with Israel. At one point, Syria attempted to prevent these waters from flowing into Israel and the Jordan River.

Apparently known as Baal Hermon and Baal Gad in the Old Testament period, this site later was named Panias after the Greek god Pan who was worshiped here. There is no record of Jesus entering the city, but the great confession and the transfiguration both occurred in the vicinity of the city (Matt 16:13), then known as Caesarea Philippi.

The spring emerged from the large cave which became the center of pagan worship. Beginning in the 3rd century BC, sacrifices were cast into the cave as offerings to the god Pan. Pan, the half-man half-goat god of fright (thus “panic”), is often depicted playing the flute. The city’s modern name, Banias, is the Arabic form of Panias.

In the Hellenistic period, this city was resettled. An open-air sanctuary was built for Pan next to the source of water that exited the cave. Augustus Caesar later gave this city to Herod the Great, who in turn built a marble temple to Augustus.

Adjacent to the sacred cave is a rocky escarpment with a series of hewn niches. It is known that statues of the deity were placed in these niches by depictions on coins of the city. One niche housed a sculpture of Echo, the mountain nymph and Pan’s consort. Another niche housed a statue of Pan’s father, Hermes, son of nymph Maia. Inscriptions in the niches mention those who gave large donations.