Middle East Kingdoms

Palestine

In the mid-third millennium BC, city states began to appear in Syria, as the people there benefited from interaction with Sumer and improvements in irrigation. Within five hundred years, the same process was happening further south in the Levant, along the Mediterranean coast. The Canaanites occupied much of the area, creating a patchwork of city states of their own.

fl c.1740 BC

Abimelech

Canaanite king in Palestine region. Reigned for c.40 years.

c.1740 BC

King of the city of Gerar, Abimelech agrees ties of friendship with Abraham after the latter has settled his early Israelite people in Canaan.

c.1705 BC

Famine in the region could be the reason for the early Israelites migrating south into Egypt around this time, while Palestinian groups may follow the same route, invading Lower Egypt as the Hyksos.

c.1478 BC

A resurgent Egypt expands rapidly northwards through Palestine, sometimes inflicting severe destruction on cities there and threatening Mitanni possessions in Syria.

c.1200 BC

General instability grips the Mediterranean coast and a dark age follows which doesn't fully fade until the tenth century BC. In Palestine, the urban culture that had previously characterised the region is gradually replaced by one of villages. New settlers arrive in the region while most of the territory is under Egyptian control. Other cities, such as Damas in the near north, are settled by new arrivals, the Aramaean tribes, and eventually flourish.

Philistines (Philistia)

The Philistines were one of the Sea Peoples who were the cause of so much destruction along the Mediterranean coast at the end of the twelfth century BC. There was general instability in the region; the Hittite empire was destroyed in Anatolia, and various Hittite vassal city states were being attacked in Syria. The Philistines themselves, settling on the southern coast of the Egyptian-controlled Levant up to the Egyptian border, are generally agreed to be Mycenaean descendents (possibly from Crete) who were probably displaced by the Dorian invasions of Greece.

Along with other groups who were settled in the region by Egypt, including the Danya and the Tjekker, they adopted local Canaanite culture and language before they left any written texts, and established a pentapolis of five cities which regulated access into Egypt: Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza. Each city enjoyed great autonomy and was ruled by a seranim, the head of a council. Their arrival at this time is confirmed by archaeological evidence which also confirms that the city of Gaza was destroyed and abandoned for a generation.

c.1200 BC

The Danya, or Danites, are either the dispossessed previous owners of the territory now occupied by the Philistines, or fellow Sea Peoples. The Philistines seem to bear them a particular grudge and they are forced to move inland where they apparently join the Israelite confederation of tribes.

c.1186 - 1168 BC

The Philistines move inland from the coast and briefly conquer and occupy areas of Canaan, including the settlements of the Israelites.

1179 - 1172 BC

Egypt fights campaigns against attackers from the north which includes the Peleshet (Philistines) and the Tjekker, so some groups are clearly still intent on raiding or settling further south.

Relief from Medinet Habu showing Philistines with their distinctive feathered headdresses

c.1150 BC

Egypt loses overlordship of the region to Assyria. The Philistines take the opportunity to re-conquer the Israelites and establish vassal kings there until they are forced out in about 1110 BC.

c.1100 BC

Egyptian documentary evidence apparently confirms that the Peleshet, Sherden, and Tjekker are still settled in Philistia. The Tjekker are also placed in Dor.

c.1050 BC

Phoenician expansion southwards along the coast is halted by the Philistines.

c.1005 BC

Achish

Ruled the eastern core of kingdom along the coastline?

975 BC

According to the Old Testament, the Philistines are subdued by David of Israel. There is so far no archaeological evidence for any Israelite influence in the area and, indeed, the available evidence points to the Philistines ruling the area until at least the ninth or eighth century. The inference is that the Philistines at least retain a level of autonomy even if they are beaten by the Israelites. The defeat sees the replacement of the seranim with kings who rule virtually independently of the councils.

905 BC

Nadab, king of Samaria, is killed by Philistines who have been able to regroup into larger political structures following the division of Israel into Samaria and Judah.

884 - 824 BC

Areas of Philistia are conquered by Assyria.

c.850 BC

The Philistines sack Jerusalem in Judah.

734 BC

The city states of Philistia, Ekron, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and Gaza, become vassals of Assyria. Raphia, the southernmost, seems to remain independent.

722 BC

Philistia, by now reverted to its original territory - a coastal strip of land situated roughly in the same place as the modern Gaza Strip - is part of a rebellion along with Moab, Judah, and Edom against Assyrian overlordship of the region. The rising is apparently put down. The Philistines also support Mardukapaliddina II in his successful bid to usurp the Babylonian throne.

720 BC

Gaza is made a puppet state of Assyria.

713 BC

Ashdod becomes a puppet state. The following year the state is ended and made a province of Assyria.

701 BC

Ashkelon becomes a puppet state of Assyria. Thereafter, Palestine follows the same line of events as Israel, especially in Modern Israel & Palestine.