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Hellenist

The Hellenistic period in the Levant runs from Alexander the Great’s conquest in 332 BCE through the Hasmonean revolt and on to Pompey’s arrival in 63 BCE. Discussed here as part of a post on the Shfela in the Roman and Byzantine periods.

6 articles

6 articles
Philistine ruins at Tel Qasile
Centre · Sharon

The Sea Peoples

Following the footsteps of the Sea Peoples along the southern coast: Tel Qasile in the Land of Israel Museum, Izbet Sartah, the Crusader fortress of Migdal Tzedek, Tel Afek / Antipatris, ancient Ashkelon and Jonah's Hill above the Ashdod port.

Philistine ruins at Tel Qasile View from Izbet Sartah Ancient fortress of Migdal Tzedek Canaanite ruins at Tel Afek Stunning Roman sarcophagus in Ashkelon The ancient archway at Tel Ashkelon View over the Ashdod port at Givat Yonah
View north up the Mediterranean coastline from Jaffa
Centre · Tel Aviv

Jaffa

A guided walk through ancient Jaffa: the clock tower, Andromeda’s rock, St Peter’s Church, the Bronze Age excavations, Napoleon’s campaign route and the Protestant cemetery with its surprise occupant.

Jaffa clock tower View north up the Mediterranean coastline from Jaffa St Peter's Church, Jaffa Ruins of a home from the Hellenist period, Jaffa Grave of Dr Thomas Hodgkin, Jaffa
The Knesset Building
Centre · Jerusalem

Jerusalem Institutions

A field trip around the institutions of Givat Ram in west Jerusalem: the Knesset menorah, the Knesset itself, the Supreme Court and a whistle-stop tour of the Israel Museum's archaeology wing.

The Menorah outside the Knesset The Knesset Building Inside the Supreme Court The Tel Dan Steele in the Israel Museum
Byzantine Church at Shivta
South · Negev

Shivta and Nitzana

Memorial for the French Commandos Byzantine Church at Shivta Byzantine settlement at Nitzana Memorial for the 8th Bridge at Nitzana
Sidonite Burial Cave at Maresha
Centre · Judean Lowlands (Shfela)

The Shfela (Judean Lowlands) in the Roman & Byzantine Periods

A day across the Judean Lowlands: Tel Maresha's underground caves, the Roman city of Beit Guvrin (Eleutheropolis), and crawling through the Bar Kochba Revolt tunnels at Horvat Midras.

Underground columbarium at Tel Maresha Sidonite Burial Cave at Maresha Roman oval amphitheatre at Beit Guvrin Squeezing through the tunnels used during the Bar Kochba Revolt
Everlasting Hill at Mt Gerizim
West Bank

Benjamin and Samaria

A field trip into the West Bank: the archaeological site at Shiloh (briefly home to the tabernacle), a fog-bound viewpoint from Mt Kabir, and Mt Gerizim — holy site of the Samaritans.

View from Shiloh Model of the Altar of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) at Shiloh Sheikh Bilal at Mt Kabir Everlasting Hill at Mt Gerizim Byzantine Church at Mt Gerizim View over Nablus / Shechem from Mt Gerizim
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