Antipatris

Antipatris (Ancient Greek: Αντιπατρίς; Hebrew: אנטיפטריס) is the name of a city built during the first century BC by Herod the Great, who named it in honour of his father, Antipater. It stood at a site located today in central Israel, which has been inhabited from the Chalcolithic Period to the late Roman Period. The archaeological site which includes the remains of Antipatris is one of two places known today as Tel Afek (Hebrew: תל אפק‎) and has been identified as biblical Aphek, best known from the story of the Battle of Aphek. During the Crusader Period the site was known as Surdi fontes, "Silent springs". The Ottoman fortress known as Binar Bashi was built there in the 16th century.

Antipatris/Tel Afek lies at the strong perennial springs of the Yarkon River, which throughout history has created an obstacle between the hill country to the east and the Mediterranean to the west, forcing travellers and armies to pass through the narrow pass between the springs and the foothills of Samaria. This gave the location of Antipatris/Tel Afek its strategic importance.