Ashkelon (Ancient Seaport), Philistine & Coins

 

Ashkelon or Ashqelon (Hebrew), also known as Ascalon (Arabic) is a coastal city in the Southern District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age of 5880 BC.  

                                               

Ashqelon as mentioned on "Merneptah Stele" which is an inscription by ancient Egyptian Pharoah Merneptah, discovered in 1896 at Thebes and now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo

                                                  

The Kingdom of Israel and Judah, 924 to 722 BC, showing Ashkelon

The ancient city's name appears in Egyptian texts of about 19th century BC. It is also mentioned in the "Amarna Letters"(cache of clay tablets discovered in Egypt) of the 14th century BC and in the "Old Testament". 

                                             

      Tele Amara letters, Louvre Museum

It has been ruled by ancient Egyptians, Canaanites (2500-1150 BC), the Philistines (1150-604 BC), the Assyrians (604-330 BC), the Babylonians, the Greeks (330-160 BC), the Romans (63-100 BC), the Persians, the Arabs and the Crusaders, until it was destroyed completely by the Mamluks in 1270 AD. 

Ashkelon was prosperous from very early in the 19th century BC. In around 1200 BC, the Philistines who migrated to the coastal plain of Israel settled in five major cities. This was one of the five Philistine city-states (along with Gaza, Gath, Ekron and Ashdod). It was from this designation that the whole of the country was later called Palestine. 

                                                 

Palestine during the time of David and Solomon

The Bible wrote about the Philistine invasion (Amos 9 7) "Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor...." Caphtor is the island of Cypress. The records are also inscribed in the mortuary temple of Ramses III at Madinat Habu, where they appear as ' the sea people that invaded Egypt about 1190 BC. After being repulsed by the Egyptians, they settled on the plains in the five cities known as Philistia, or the land of the Philistines. 

 

It was subjected to Assyrian rule about 735 BC, and they ruled for about a hundred years. The Babylon empire thereafter ruled around 609 BC. Ashkelon was conquered in 604 BC, destroyed and its people taken into exile.

                           

Philistine captives, depicted at Medinet Habu, Thebes, Egypt

           

Subsequently the city was captured by Alexander the Great in 323 BC. 

                                             

Peutinger Roman 4th century Military map section near Ashkelon written in Greek as "Ascalon" (above the top twin houses)

The city plays a role in biblical histories too. Ashqelon was conquered by the Arabs in 636 AD. The Jews survived the Arab conquest, however the community suffered when captured by the Crusaders in 1153 AD, and it became one of the principal ports and strongholds.  It was a trading center linking Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia.  

It was eventually taken over by Saladin, who destroyed its huge walls surrounding the city. A century later the city lay in ruins, Mameluke king Bybars captured and completely demolished it, filled up the port of Ashkelon, and left it desolate. Ashkelon was never built again, and the site remained uninhabited until the mid-20th century. 

Present day Ashkelon lies 19 km north of Gaza and 2 km northeast of the ancient city site although some part may be built upon the ruins of past civilizations. 

                                            

Ashkelon, successive layers of civilization

The first excavations of the ruins, now known as Tel Ashkelon, were carried out by the Palestine Exploration Fund in 1920-22. It was thereafter excavated in 1954 by French archeologist Jean Perrot. In 1997-98, a large-scale salvage project was conducted at the site and a final report published in 2008.

                                                   

Roman ruins at Ashkelon, remains of the small Byzantine church called "Santa Maria Viridis"

                                            

                Excavations at Ashkelon

                                            

 Restored Canaanite city gate at Ashkelon.

Coins of Ashkelon

                                            

Ashkelon, Palestine, mid 5th century BC, 

Obverse: Female head right

Reverse: Owl standing facing, wings spread

                                         

Ashkelon, Palestine, date on coin 176, year AD 72-73, weight 4.3 gm, Obverse: Turreted veiled and draped bust of Tyche right.

Reverse; Galley sailing left, date above.

                                            

Ashkelon, Claudius I, 42-43 AD, weight 13.1 gm

Obverse: Tyche standing left on prow, wearing turreted crown, long chiton and peplos resting right arm on standard and holds in left, aphlaston

Reverse: Laureate bust of Claudius, right 

                                            

Ashkelon, Vespasian, dated year 185 on coin, AD 78-79, weight 10 gm. Obverse: Laureate head left.

Reverse: Tyche standing left, dove above date

                                            

Trajan of Ashkelon, year 213 on coin, AD 109-110,

Obverse: Laureate bust right

Reverse: Tyche standing left, alter to her left, dove to her right, holding spear 

                                            

Ashkelon, Trajan, year 209. AD 105-106,

Obverse: Laureate head right

Reverse: Goddess standing let on prow, holding standard and aphlaston, altar in field to left, dove to right

                                           

                                              

Ashkelon, Date 176, AD 72, weight 4.4gm

Obverse; Veiled and draped bust of Tyche right.

Reverse: Gallet sailing left, date above 

  

Courtesy: British Museum, wild winds.

                

                 Ashkelon National Park, beach and historical park

                 Tel Ashkelon-BibleWalks