Identification and History:
Gaza, also known as Tell I:Iarube or Tell ‘Azza, is located on Israel’s southern Coastal Plain, about 5 km from the Mediterranean Sea, within the modern city.
It is first mentioned in the 15th century BCE as a city conquered by Pharaoh Thutmose III and served as an Egyptian administrative center.
Throughout history, Gaza has been a significant location for various empires, including the Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Hasmoneans, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamelukes, and Ottomans.
Biblical References:
In the Bible, Gaza is allotted to the tribe of Judah and is part of the Philistine Pentapolis.
The Philistine temple of Dagon was located here, and the city is mentioned in the context of various historical events and figures, including King Hezekiah and Pharaoh Necho II.
The earliest historical description of Gaza relates to the time of Pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BCE. He conquered Gaza, called “Gaza,” during his campaign to suppress the rebellion in Megiddo and Kadesh. Gaza is also mentioned in letters from that period, highlighting its economic and political importance.
Late Bronze Age:
Gaza is first mentioned in the 15th century BCE in the list of conquests of Pharaoh Thutmose III, where it is described as “a prize city of the governor.”
It was a significant Egyptian military and administrative center, as indicated by its mention in Egyptian reliefs as “the [city] of Canaan” and in the el-Amarna and Taanach tablets.
Archaeological excavations have uncovered pottery from the Late Bronze Age, including Cypriot base-ring ware, white-slip wish-bone-handle bowls, and parts of a pointed juglet, indicating the city’s active participation in regional trade and cultural exchanges.
Iron Age:
During the Iron Age I, Gaza became the southernmost city of the Philistine Pentapolis at the beginning of the 12th century BCE.
The city had a Philistine temple of Dagon, highlighting its religious significance during this period.
In 734 BCE, the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III captured Gaza, but it remained a Philistine city, and even the short-lived conquest of King Hezekiah did not significantly change its status.
The city walls from this period, identified by their color (gray and green), may date back to the middle of the second millennium BCE or to the arrival of the Philistines.
The Iron Age I period is marked by Philistine pottery, while Iron Age II is characterized by burnished ware, reflecting the city’s continued occupation and cultural developments.
Hellenistic to Roman Periods:
Gaza opposed Alexander the Great in 332 BCE and was later the northern outpost of the Ptolemies until 198 BCE.
It was attacked by Jonathan the Hasmonean and later taken by Alexander Jannaeus.
The city flourished under Roman rule, with a famous school of rhetoric and temples to various deities, including Mamas, the city’s main god.
Byzantine Period:
Many famous scholars taught in Gaza’s school of rhetoric, and the city was a prominent Byzantine center.
Churches such as the Eudoxiana and those of Saint Sergius and Saint Stephen were built, although no traces have been found.
Islamic and Later Periods:
After a battle in 635, the Arabs conquered Gaza, and it became a governor’s seat.
Under the Crusaders, it was renamed Gadres and was a Templar stronghold until it fell to Saladin.
Gaza continued to prosper under Mameluke and Ottoman rule.
Excavations:
- Excavations in 1922 revealed five brick city walls and a glacis, with pottery indicating various historical periods.
- No significant Hellenistic remains were found on the mound, and the city’s history during this period is linked to the coast.
Synagogue Discovery:
- A mosaic pavement from an ancient synagogue was discovered in 1965, with systematic excavations in 1967 and 1976.
- The synagogue was large, with a unique layout, and featured mosaics depicting King David and various animals.
- Greek inscriptions and Jewish names suggest it was a synagogue, which was destroyed in the first half of the 7th century, possibly during the Sassanian-Persian or Arab conquests.
Industrial Complex:
- An industrial complex, likely a dye works, was found west of the synagogue, with well-preserved rooms and evidence of destruction by fire.
Sources
Stern, Ephraim-New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land 2-Israel Exploration Society (1993)