The toppled columns testify to the power of the earthquake that destroyed the Sussita/Hippos in 747 A.D. As a Greek city, Sussita/Hippos was once a thriving urban center, with agriculture and maritime activities both important to the city’s economy. The Talmud describes Sussita/Hippos and vicinity as the breadbasket of Tiberias, a Jewish city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Boats from the port of Sussita/Hippos no doubt ferried grain and other commodities to many locales around the sea.
Sussita/Hippos is the most significant archaeological site on the eastern shore of the Galilee, yet it still awaits systematic excavation.