Places

Assyria

Assyria was a major empire in Mesopotamia that impacted the history of Israel and Judah particularly during the 8th and 7th centuries BCE.  Many of the kings during the period of the divided monarchy were forced to pay tribute and acknowledge Assyrian hegemony over Palestine.  It was the Assyrian Empire that destroyed the Northern Kingdom c. 722 BCE.

For pictures and additional information go to:
the ancienthistory.about.com website; click on Persia/Babylonia/Israel and then go to article "Shining New Light on Assyrian Palace". Lots of information is available through the links under "More Categories."

Babylon

The capital city of the Babylonian Empire, Babylon became a symbol of evil.  

For pictures and additional information see links at Babylonia.

Babylonia

Babylonia succeeded Assyria as the dominant empire in the Near East during the Old Testament period.  Although the length of time that this empire ruled over Palestine was relative brief (c. 598-538 BCE), its impact was significant.  It was Babylonia that destroyed the nation of Judah with its capital city Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple, putting an end to the Davidic dynasty.  Because many of the political and religious leaders were taken into Babylonia where, as exiles, they sought to preserve their traditions, the Old Testament was significantly impacted by the culture and literature of ancient Babylonia. 

For pictures and additional information go to:
the ancienthistory.about.com website; click on Persia/Babylonia/Israel and then go to  "More Categories." Go to "Places" and "Babylonia." Check out some of the articles listed.

Canaan

Canaan is one of the names given to the land occupied by the Israelites during their existence as a nation.  For more information and pictures see Palestine.

Dead Sea

The Jordan River flows into the north end of the Dead Sea, but because it has no outlet to the south, the sea is full of minerals so that it cannot support life.  During the Old Testament Period it marked the southeastern corner of Palestine with Edom, Moab, and Ammon on the other side.  During the height of David and Solomon's empire some of the territory on the east side was controlled by Israel.

Click on photo to view larger picture.

Egypt

One of the cradles of civilization, Egypt is located at the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, south and west of Palestine.  Throughout the Old Testament period, Egypt was important as a major power, cultural center, and consistent producer of food.  Egypt's attempts to dominate the trade routes along the eastern Mediterranean coast meant that this power often exercised control over parts or all of Palestine.  Frequent famines in Palestine drove people to Egypt in search of food.

For additional information and pictures of Egypt go to:
www.touregypt.net.  At the "touregypt" site, click "Ancient Egypt", "History of Egypt," "New Kingdom," "19th dynasty,"  Read the material on Ramesses II. 
Go to: www.touregypt.net/featurestories/hyksos.htm and read "Who Were the Hyksos."
Go to: www.touregypt.net/featurestories/19dyn03.htm and click on 19th dynasty and read material on Ramesses II.

Greece

Greece was important toward the end of the Old Testament period after Alexander the Great conquered Palestine in 333 BCE.  Some of his successors sought to impose Greek or Hellenistic culture on the Jewish people.  While many embraced the changes, other experienced them as threats to their religious identity.  Even those who resisted to the point of martyrdom could not prevent significant influence on the development of Judaism.

For more information and pictures go to:
For pictures and additional information go to:
the ancienthistory.about.com website and look for entries under Greece, Alexander the Great, and the Seleucids.

Israel

While the "land of Israel" is often mentioned in referring to the area controlled by the united monarchy and northern kingdom, Israel will be used primarily as a political or national term in this course.  For a description of the land see Canaan.

Jericho

One of the oldest cities in the world, Jericho thrived because of the rich soil in this part of the Great Rift Valley.  It is located on the west side of the Jordan River just north of the Dead Sea.  The upper right picture shows the area around Jericho looking toward the Judean hills.  The age of the city is illustrated by the ancient tower (lower left) and city wall (lower right), which date to c. 7000 BCE. 

According to Joshua 2-6, Jericho was the first Canaanite city conquered by the Israelites after the Exodus and 40 years in the wilderness.  Archaeological evidence, however, does not support the existence of a walled city at the time of Joshua. 

Jerusalem

Jerusalem was an important Canaanite (Jebusite) city and holy place before David conquered it and made it capital of the united Israelite monarchy.  After the division of the kingdom, Jerusalem remained the capital of Judah, which was ruled by the Davidic dynasty.  The city was both the political and religious center of Israel and remained an important religious site long after the end of any Israelite national identity.  

For more detailed history, maps, and pictures of ancient Israel visit the following sites:
Go to: the Jerusalem Mosaic at jeru.huji.ac.il Go to New Jerusalem Mosaic and click 1st Temple.  After reading click more information.  Check out the links to David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.
Go to: a site called the plumber to learn more about Jerusalem's water system.  At plbg.com site, click on The Plumber, then on Plumbing History articles, and then on Jerusalem.

For more pictures of the present city of Jerusalem go to the Jerusalem Pictures page.

Judah

The area occupied by the important tribe of Judah, and later by the southern kingdom, also called Judah, includes the northern part of the Negev desert to the south and extends just a few miles north of Jerusalem.  While some of this territory supports agricultural, much of it is quite dry.

Click on photo for larger view

Megiddo

Like Jerusalem and Jericho, Megiddo is an ancient city that predates Israelite occupation of the land of Palestine.  While the earliest written reference to Megiddo comes from Egypt in the 14th century BCE, archaeological evidence suggests occupation at least as early as 3200 BCE.  Because Megiddo was located near two important trades routes and an ample water supply, it was the frequent site of battles.  According to Old Testament accounts, both Joshua and Deborah and her general Barak defeated Canaanite forces there.  Solomon fortified it as part of his defense system and Josiah was killed there as he sought to interrupt the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho who was on his way to support the Assyrians against a Babylonian attack.  As the Mountain of Megiddo, or Har Megiddo in Hebrew, the city is both a literal and symbolic scene of major battles.

For more information and a virtual tour of Megiddo as it existed during the Israelite monarchy go to:
www.tau.ac.il/~archpubs/megiddo/

Mount Carmel

Located on a promontory jutting into the Mediterranean, Mt. Carmel lies at the northwest corner of Palestine and seems to have served sometimes as a Phoenician high place and sometimes as a holy cite for the Israelites.  Here is the setting for Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal, which suggests that, at least once, the worshippers of Yahweh had to reclaim the site for their god.

Nineveh

Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire and, like Babylon, was viewed as a wicked city.  This view of the city is important for understanding the Book of Jonah.  For more information see the entry and links under Assyria.

Palestine

Palestine is one of the names given to the land of the Bible that was occupied by the Israelites during their existence as a nation.  The name is derived from the Philistines who settled on the coast as part of the invasion of Sea Peoples c. 1200 BCE. During the united monarchy the land itself was sometimes called Israel, while during the divided monarchy the name could refer to the area controlled by the northern kingdom.  Located on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, Palestine is approximately 150 miles north to South and, at its widest point, 50 miles east to west.  In spite of its small size, the land is fairly diverse geographically.  The coastal plains rise to the hill country which is divided into north and south by the Jezreel Valley. It includes fertile plains on the coast and to the north, desert in the south.  In the east the land drops to the Great Rift Valley where the Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, and Dead Sea mark the eastern boundary.  The variety of the land can be illustrated by view of snow-capped Mt. Hermon north of the Sea of Galilee, the winding road that drops 4000 feet in 25 miles from Jerusalem to Jericho, and the agriculturally rich plains on the coast and central areas.  See pictures at other place names.  (Click on photos for larger view.)

Also, visit the maps that illustrate both wilderness and non-wilderness areas in and around Palestine by going to the Wilderness Learning Pathway pages "Wilderness in the Hebrew Bible" and "Land Flowing with Milk and Honey."

A wadi in the central hill country Hills in northern Israel, the area known later as Galilee. Image copyright 1998 Davka Corp. Southern Israel (Judah), Nahal Zin Image copyright 1998 Davka Corp.

Persia

Cyrus of Persia conquered what had been the Babylonian Empire in 539 BCE.  Under Persian rule, the Jews were allowed to return to Palestine and restore the Temple and rebuild the city of Jerusalem.  The final editing of much of the Old Testament took place during this period when Jews were allowed to exercise much local autonomy.

For pictures and more information visit the 
ancienthistory.about.com website and follow links to the Near East, Persia

Samaria

The name Samaria refers both to the city that was the capital of the Northern Kingdom and the region around that city that became an administrative district after the destruction of the kingdom by the Assyrians.  The king Omri built the city to be his capital, and it was the scene of some of his son Ahab's conflicts with the prophet Elijah, according to the books of Kings.  

The top picture shows the ruins of Ahab's palace in Samaria.  The lower picture shows part of the district of Samaria viewed from the palace ruins.  

Click on photos for larger view.

Shechem

Shechem was an ancient city, established before the existence of Israel as a nation.  It became the first political and religious center for the tribal confederacy.  Joshua led the people in renewing the Sinai covenant here after the Israelites established themselves in the land.  Later it served as a temporary capital for the northern kingdom and was rebuilt in 350 BCE, after the exile, as the high, holy place of the Samaritans.

Mt. Gerazim is outside of the ancient city of Shechem, modern city of Nablus.  This is the holy mountain of the Samaritans. 

Click on photos for larger view.

Sinai (see also wilderness)

The Sinai peninsula is a triangular piece of land between Africa and Asia.  Two fingers of the Red Sea spread around its southern point, and the Mediterranean Sea and Negev desert form its northern limits.  Largely desert, the wilderness of Sinai usually refers to a rugged section of the peninsula in the south that includes Mt. Sinai.  The mountain is the traditional site of Moses' meeting with God and receiving the Ten Commandments.  There is no definitive evidence identifying one particular peak as Mt. Sinai, also known as Mt. Horeb, but tradition associates it with Jebal Musa (right). 

Syria

Syria lies to the northeast of Palestine with Damascus as its capital.  Damascus was an important city because of its location on major trade routes and the availability of water in a region that is largely desert.  At different times Syria was either ally or enemy of Israel.  

wilderness

The " wilderness" of Exodus and Numbers refers to several dry, barren areas, including the wilderness of Sin,  the Sinai desert, and the Negev south of Judah.  Parts are flat open desert as shown here.  Other areas are sandy hills or barren rocky mountains.  The Dry hilly area between Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea is also called wilderness.  See additional pictures under Judah and Palestine.  To explore both the geographic and symbolic meaning of wilderness visit the Wilderness Learning Pathway.

picture courtesy of Brian Cowan

Click on photo for larger view.

Zion

Most often in the Old Testament, Zion is used interchangeably with Jerusalem.  However, it may have originally referred to the ridge south of the Temple Mount where the ancient Jebusite fortress stood.  At times it seems to refer specifically to the hill or mountain on which the Temple was built.  

This picture shows the Temple Mount from the Mt. of Olives.  The ancient Jebusite city would be off to the left.

Click on photo for larger view.