Middle East Kingdoms

Salem / Shalem (Jerusalem)

One of the best known cities in the world, thanks to its being the spiritual centre of three major religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, Jerusalem is located in the Judean Mountains, close to the northern end of the Dead Sea. It was first occupied at some point in the Copper Age, not long after 4000 BC, and was firmly established as a permanent settlement by West Semitic peoples by about 3000 BC. A small city existed by the start of the second millennium BC with its settlement area located on Ophel (later called the City of David), a promontory beyond the southern edge of the Temple Mount.

In the Armana letters, the city was known by its Akkadian name of Urušalim, but it's original name, Shalem ('in harmony') with the prefix 'Yeru', may mean 'perfect city'. This predates the 'habiru-shalem' the city was supposedly named when it was conquered by the Israelites in the twelfth century BC. Today it sits astride the division between modern Israel and the Palestinian West Bank.

c.1750 BC

Melchizedek / Melchisedech

Priest king of Salem. Identified with traditional founder, Shem.

c.1750 - 1749 BC

After twelve years of paying tribute the Canaanite 'five cities of the plain' have rebelled against their Elamite masters. However, despite their resistance, the rebellious Canaanite city states of Admah, Bela, Gomorrah, Sodom, and Zeboiim are defeated within a year.

The brief passage in the Old Testament which mentions Melchizedek meeting and thanking the leader of the Israelites, Abraham, for freeing some of his people from captivity at this time is generally regarded as having originated from a separate source and is crudely inserted. However, it is Salem's first mention in any source.

1453 BC

The Egyptians conquer the Levant and Syria and establish three provinces in their conquered territories which are named Amurru (in southern Syria), Upe (in the northern Levant), and Canaan (in the southern Levant). Each one is governed by an Egyptian official. Native dynasts are allowed to continue their rule over the small states, but have to provide annual tribute.

1330s BC

The mention of 'Urušalim' in the Egyptian Armana letters may be the earliest historical mention of the city. If it is, then Abdi-Heba (or various alternatives, including a postulated correct reading of Ebed-Nob) rules a small mountain stronghold of perhaps 1500 inhabitants, with no fortifications.

fl c.1330s BC

Abdi-Heba / Abdi-Kheba / Abdi-Hepat

King of Urušalim (Shalem?). Possibly of Hurrian descent.

c.1200

By this stage a local Canaanite tribe known as the Jebusites has occupied the city of Shalem.

fl c.1170s BC

Adonizedec / Adoni Zedek

King of Shalem. Killed in battle.

c.1170s BC

Adonizedec leads the fragmented Canaanite tribes against Joshua, but they are defeated and Jebusite Shalem is conquered by the Israelites. They take control of the city but apparently lose it again twenty years later during an invasion by the Philistines.

? - 975 BC

Araunah / Ornan

Probably the Jebusite king of Shalem.

975 BC

The Jebusite king Araunah is mentioned in the Old Testament in relation to Shalem during the formation of the Israelite kingdom, so he is probably the city's ruler. The Jebusites have been resisting Israelite attempts to re-take the city for some time, resorting to mocking their assailants for their failures. Now King David manages to conquer the city once and for all, taking it as his new capital and renaming it hebiru-Shalem, or Jerusalem. From this point onwards, the city serves as Israel's spiritual centre, as well as its administrative capital. When Israel divides into Samaria and Judah in 928 BC, Jerusalem serves as Judah's capital.