Capernaum is an ancient fishing village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, inhabited continuously from approximately the 2nd century BC until it was abandoned sometime before the First Crusade in the 11th century AD. At its height in the 1st century AD, the village supported a population of around 1,500 people — modest by any measure, yet central to the story of early Christianity. Visitors today walk among excavated ruins that include the remains of two ancient synagogues built one atop the other, and a Byzantine-era church built over a house held by tradition to have been the home of Saint Peter. The site sits on the western edge of the Sea of Galilee — which, as Gates notes in the episode, is technically a freshwater lake sitting roughly 700 feet below sea level, making it the lowest freshwater lake in the world. Gates traveled here during his investigation into lost biblical cities, using Capernaum as a well-documented starting point for understanding what other ancient villages from the Gospel accounts might still lie undiscovered.
Capernaum established as a fishing village during the Hasmonean period on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Village reaches a population of approximately 1,500; all four Gospels place Jesus' ministry here, making it a central location in early Christian tradition.
Village is re-established northeast of its earlier location during the Early Islamic period.
Capernaum is abandoned, falling into ruin before the First Crusade.
Gates visits the archaeological site with biblical scholar Yisca Harani during Expedition Unknown Season 12, Episode 3.
Biblical scholar Yisca Harani, who met Gates at the site, describes Capernaum as 'the heart of the Galilee' from the perspective of Jesus' ministry — a characterization consistent with how mainstream scholars and theologians treat the site. All four canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) mention Capernaum as the primary base of Jesus' activities in the Galilee region, a rare point of agreement across texts that otherwise diverge on many details.
Archaeologically, Capernaum is one of the better-documented early Jewish village sites in the region. Excavations have uncovered two synagogues layered one atop the other, suggesting continuous religious use across different periods. The Byzantine-era church built over a structure identified by early Christian tradition as Peter's house is a particularly significant find — though scholars continue to debate the certainty of that identification. The site's physical remains help ground abstract Gospel narratives in tangible first-century material culture.
The broader question Gates uses Capernaum to frame — whether other villages mentioned in the Gospels might still be archaeologically recoverable — is a live and legitimate debate in biblical archaeology. Bethsaida, which Harani identifies on camera as the hometown of three apostles (Peter, Andrew, and Philip) and a site mentioned in all four Gospels, has been the subject of ongoing excavation disputes regarding its precise location. The episode uses Capernaum's known ruins as a baseline for understanding just how much of the early Christian world remains unverified on the ground.
Gates' visit to Capernaum is less a standalone investigation than an expert-guided orientation — he arrives not expecting a discovery, but to understand what the archaeological record of these first-century villages looks like, and what it means when one goes missing. Harani's expertise provides the historical scaffolding for the episode's broader search, and the site itself serves as a reminder that even famous ancient places were lost for centuries before archaeology recovered them.
The Sea of Galilee — visible from Capernaum's shore — is technically a freshwater lake, sitting approximately 700 feet below sea level, making it among the lowest freshwater lakes on Earth.
All four canonical Gospels mention Capernaum, which is unusual — the four texts frequently diverge on geography and events, making their unanimous placement of Jesus' ministry here notable to scholars.
Excavations at Capernaum revealed two ancient synagogues built directly one on top of the other, suggesting religious continuity at the site across multiple centuries.
Capernaum's Hebrew name, Kfar Nahum, translates literally to 'Nahum's village,' though the identity of this Nahum — and whether it refers to the biblical prophet — remains uncertain.
Capernaum is generally open to visitors and is managed as an archaeological park on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The site includes a modern church structure built above the remains traditionally identified as Saint Peter's house, as well as the well-preserved ruins of the ancient synagogue complex. Check current opening hours and admission requirements before visiting, as access conditions can vary.
Tiberias is the nearest major city, approximately 15 kilometers to the south along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Spring (March through May) and autumn (September through November) offer the most comfortable temperatures for exploring the open-air ruins. Summer months can be intensely hot in the Jordan Valley region, and the site can draw significant crowds during Christian pilgrimage seasons.
Bethsaida
Bethsaida is identified by biblical scholar Yisca Harani during the same Expedition Unknown episode as a Gospel-era village — the hometown of three apostles — that, unlike Capernaum, remains archaeologically disputed and 'still lost' today.
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee forms the immediate geographical backdrop of Capernaum and is central to the fishing-village context of the Gospel narratives Gates investigates in the episode.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem represents the other anchor of Jesus' documented world in the Gospel accounts, and several Expedition Unknown episodes have explored the Holy Land's broader archaeological and religious landscape.
Historical data sourced from Wikipedia