Sebastia, Nablus

Sebastiyah
Other transcription(s)
• Arabic	سبسطية
• Also spelled	Sabastiya (official) Sebaste (unofficial)
View of Sebastiyah, 2009
Sebastiyah Location of Sebastiyah within the Palestinian territories
Coordinates: 32°16′34″N 35°11′43″E / 32.27611°N 35.19528°E / 32.27611; 35.19528Coordinates: 32°16′34″N 35°11′43″E / 32.27611°N 35.19528°E / 32.27611; 35.19528
Palestine grid	168/186
Governorate	Nablus
Government
• Type	Municipality (from 1997)
• Head of Municipality	Ma’amun Harun Kayed
Area
• Jurisdiction	4,810 dunams (4.8 km2 or 1.9 sq mi)
Population (2007)
• Jurisdiction	4,114

Sebastia (Arabic: سبسطية‎‎, Sabastiyah; Greek: Σεβαστη, Sevastee; Hebrew: סבסטי‎, Sebasti; Latin: Sebaste) is a Palestinian village of over 4,500 inhabitants, located in the Nablus Governorate of the West Bank some 12 kilometers northwest of the city of Nablus. The village's total area is 4,810 dunums, the built up area of which comprises 150 dunums. Much of the village lands (42%) are located in Area C under the Oslo Accords. It is the home of Nabi Yahya Mosque, a former Crusader cathedral.

According to Josephus, the original name of the town was Shomron, before King Herod renamed it in honor of Augustus Caeasar. The Greek sebastos, "venerable", translates the Latin epithet augustus. According to the Hebrew Bible it was settled by several Israelite tribes, "in ancient times." Sebastia is home to a number of important archaeological sites. The ancient site of Samaria-Sebaste is located just above the built up area of the modern day village on the eastern slope of the hill. The ruins dominate the hillside and comprise remains from six successive cultures dating back more than 10,000 years: Canaanite, Israelite, Hellenistic, Herodian, Roman and Byzantine.