Hebrew owner שומרון (Shomron)

Hebrew city שֹׁמְרוֹן (semer, H8106) 1 Kings 16:24

Greek equivalent is Σαμάρεια (samareia)

Changed by Herod I to Σεβαστη (Sebastia/Sebaste)

This was bc it sounded like σεβαστός

Town refounded by Herod 1 in 27 BCE (Zeichmann, 3) by settling veterans of his numerii there. Becomes recruiting ground;  with Caesarea hosted 5 cohorts, 1 ala as standing army for Judean sub-province