Magdala

Magdala (Aramaic: מגדלא, romanized: Magdalā, meaning "tower"; Hebrew: מגדל, romanized: Migdál; Arabic: المجدل, romanized: al-Majdal; Ancient Greek: Μαγδαλά) was an ancient Jewish city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, 5 km (3 miles) north of Tiberias. In the Babylonian Talmud it is known as Magdala Nunayya (Aramaic: מגדלא נוניה, meaning "Tower of the Fishes"), and which some historical geographers think may refer to Tarichaea, literally: "the place of processing fish." It is believed to be the birthplace of Mary Magdalene. Until the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, a small Arab village, al-Majdal, stood at the site of ancient Magdala. The Israel municipality of Migdal now extends into the area.