Constantine’s adoption of Christianity as the dominant religion of the empire radically changed the status of Palestine. No longer just a tiny province, it became the Holy Land. The later fourth century saw the beginning of the great age of pil-grimage to shrines and holy places throughout the Levant and especially to Palestine and Jerusalem, the scene of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Jerusalem was transformed from a dusty provincial town into one of the most magnificent cities of the age. But it was a Christian rather than a Jewish city.
During the Byzantine period, Palaestina was divided into Palaestina Prima, Secunda and Tertia (First, Second and Third Palestine respectively). The first included Judaea and Samaria, with a part of Transjordan; the second included Galilee, Golan and Bashan; and the third included Negev, Sinai and Nabataea.
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