The Major Geographical Regions of Ancient Israel and Their Characteristics - Assignment Example

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY LIBRARY PROJECT 1. The major geographical regions of ancient Israel and their characteristics. The first major geographical region of ancient Israel is The Coastal Plain. This is narrow in the north, becoming non existent at the Ladder and at the foot of Mt. Carmel, in the south; the coastal plain is broad and divided into three regions The plain of Asher, the Plain of Sharon and the Philistine plain along the coastal plain. Mediterranean shipping in the Levant was dominated by the Phoenicians who lived on the coast of Lebanon and the best ports were from Acco north- Tyre and Sidon being the most famous. The Southern port at Eziler-geber on the Gulf of Aqaba served as a gateway to Damascus and on to Mesopotamia followed the coast. The second major geographical region was the Central mountainous range. This forms the backbone of the land. It is broken only at the plain of Jezree in lower Galilee. A Spur of the central range juts northwest to the sea to form the beautiful Carmel Range. At Megiddo a spur turned north to the Phoenician cities, several shorter but more difficult roads crossed the north-south ridge of the central range. The plain of Jezreel, the wide and most fertile valley in the Palestine separates the hilly region to the north from the mountains to the south. The northern region is best known as Galilee. The region to the south does not have a clear cut natural boundary before the steppe or Negeb. Following political division of the land during the Israelite kingdom, the southern region may be divided into Samaria and Judea. South of the Negeb is the Sinai Peninsula. Galilee. The natural boundary north of Galilee is the gorge of the Litani River to the northwest and Mt. Hermon to the northeast. The southern boundary is formed by the Carmel Range to the Southwest and Gilboa, a hill cluster to the southeast. Lower Galilee to the South is composed of rolling hills and broad valleys, sloping south to the broad Esdradon plain. Samaria- The northern boundary of Samaria is the plain of Esdraedon. The eastern boundary is the Jordan and the Mediterranean forms the western limits. Samaria has no clear natural southern boundary but the town of Bethel is known to have been near the southern limits. Most of Samaria is mountainous. Western Samaria sloped down to the maritime plain. The arid eastern part drops quickly to the Jordan. Interspersed among the hills are wide fertile valleys which are excellent for growing grain. Before building of Samaria, Schechem was the most important city. Judah. The region form the lower border of Samaria south to the Negeb is generally called Judea. It is derived from Judah, the principal tribe. Jerusalem to the north and Hebron to the South were the key cities. The mountainous area is somewhat higher and rockier than Samaria. The valleys are narrow, stony and often arid. Olive trees and vineyards grow in terraced areas and grain can be raised in some valleys and in the plateau around Bethlehem. To the east, the land drops off suddenly to the Dead Sea; this are is the “wilderness of Judah.” Rainfall is limited but it is not strictly desert for in the spring. To the west is a gradual slope of piedmont, the Shephelah. It consists of low hills interspersed with valleys that supply fruit, vegetables and grains. Under the Judges and the early Monarchs this area was the center of contention between the Israelites and the Philistines. The Negeb. The term Negeb is used in scripture for the region around and sough of Beersheba; it is a high steppe receiving scarcely enough rainfall to support any vegetation. The third major geographical region is The Jordan Rift. This is the part of the Great Rift Valley, which extends from the Kara Su valley in Turkey to Victoria Falls. This area has experienced great seismic activity. It is the deepest part of the Dead Sea. The Jordan Rift includes the tributaries of the Upper Jordan, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, the Dead Sea and the Arabah. This can be divided into various sub regions which include: Upper Jordan. Copious springs gush from the slope of Mt. Hermon to form the tributaries of the Upper Jordan. In Biblical times they formed a marshy region which drained into Lake Huleh. Moab. Was situated mostly between the Arnon and Zered but at times it extended north beyond the Arnon. The plains of Moab between Wadi Nimrin and the Dead Sea stretch up the gentle slope toward Heshbon and Madeba. Edom. Generally identified with the region east of the Gulf of Aqaba. During most of the Old Testament period, Edom spread across both sides of the Arabah. The high mountain range called Mt. Seir was the centre of the Edomites’ territory, whose capital was at Sela. Midian. Not included in the Transjordan lay south of Edom, east of the Gulf of Aqaba and opposite Sinai. The primary inhabitants of each region. The Coastal Plain This was occupied by the Philistines. Central mountainous range The primary occupants of this region were Israelites The Jordan Rift This was primarily occupied by the Edomites. Major cities in each of these regions. The Coastal Plain The cities to be found in this region were: Damascus, Acco, Dor and Joppa were the principal ones in antiquity Central mountainous range The cities to be found in this region were: Bethlehem Samaria, Jerusalem ,Schechem, Samaria and Galilee The Jordan Rift The cities to be found in this region were: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela 2. The major empires in Afro-Asia during the period of Israel’s existence as a nation. Egypt. Egypt was a power long before the rise of Israel and remained a significant force until almost the time of the rise of Christianity (although it was under Greek rule for the later part of this period). According to Genesis, Abraham's grandson Jacob and his family, pushed by famine in Canaan, went to Egypt to find food. (Some have proposed that this could possibly have been during the reign of the Hyksos, a Semitic group that had infiltrated Egyptian society in the 17th century BCE and ruled until 1560 BCE.) The descendants of Jacob, called the Hebrews, were eventually enslaved by the larger Egyptian society according to Exodus. If the Hebrew people were in Egypt at the time of the Hyksos, they would have been there at the time of Amenhotep IV--who changed his name to Akhenaton (Akhen-Aton, "It is well with Aton"). Akhenaton demanded that only Aton, the sun god be worshipped. His reform appears to have demanded henotheism rather than monotheism, though. Some historians believe that it was under Ramses II (1290-1224 BCE), during the height of the Egyptian Empire, that the Hebrew people escaped slavery there. Ramses II tended to record even his defeats as victories, so if the Hebrews escaped at this time, it would make sense that the event is not mentioned in the Egyptian records. It is possible that the Israelites had already settled in Canaan by 1220 BCE. Egyptian records tell of Merneptah defeating the Israelites in Canaan. Hittites The Hittites, located in Anatolia (what was later called Asia Minor, northwest of the Fertile Crescent), fought with the Egyptians at about this time, creating a balance of power that would allow an opportunity for changes of control in Canaan (located within the rectangle in the map to the above). This is likely to be the period at which the Hebrew people took control there. Three Mesopotamian Empires: Assyria, Babylonia, Persia Three different empires based in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers would later dominate Israel. The Assyrians, who were located in central Mesopotamia, finally conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel (721-722 BCE) and took its upper class people away into captivity. They resettled some of their own people among the remaining Israelites. While the Assyrians did not completely destroy the Southern Kingdom (Judah), they did defeat most of its cities and put constant pressure on Judah in the forms of taxes and threats. The Babylonians, located in southern Mesopotamia, conquered the Southern Kingdom and took some of its leading citizens into exile in 597 BCE, making Judah a vassal state. In 589-587 BCE Judah rebelled. The Babylonians shattered Jerusalem and drove the remaining upper class citizens to captivity. The Persians later conquered the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to return home Judah remained a vassal state in the Persian Empire until Alexander the Great defeated the Persians. The Greeks (Macedonians) In 333 BCE Alexander the Great wrested Judah from Persian control and took it into his growing Empire. The Greeks dominated the territory of the old state of Israel from 333 BCE till the late 160's when Israel won its independence. Greek thought and customs still continued to have an influence in the region long after this time. The Romans The Romans took control of Israel in 63 BCE in the middle of a dispute between two rival Jewish leaders and ruled the area through client kings and direct governors until well after the lifetime of Jesus. Where were they located in relationship to the nation of Israel? Egypt was located to the south of Israel, Hittites The Hittites, located in Anatolia (what was later called Asia Minor, northwest of the Fertile Crescent), The Babylonians, located in southern Mesopotamia The Assyrians, who were located in central Mesopotamia, The Greeks (Macedonians) these came from Europe which is to the West of Israel, The Romans the Romans came from Europe to the west of Israel. Which major rivers were associated with each of these powers? The Egyptians were associated with River Nile, Hittites were associated with Halys River; The Babylonians were associated with river Tigris and Euphrates. The Assyrians, who were located in central Mesopotamia were associated with rivers Tigris and Euphrates, The Greeks were associated with rivers known as the Vardar , the Struma , and the Nestos , The Romans were associated with river Tiber and river Arno, During what periods were each of these powers active? The Egyptians were active from 1850-1700 BCE , Hittites The Hittites were active from 538-333 BCE, The Babylonians were active from 587-538 BCE, The Assyrians, , The Greeks were active from 333-63 BCE, The Romans were active from 63 BCE-135 CE 3. Why the land of Israel was a battleground among the major empires of Afro-Asia. To the North of Israel lies a legendary site, it is probably the world's most contested place of territory. This place is to be found rising out of the pastoral valley of Jezreel and it is a rocky mound containing the remains of a city whose foundations go back several thousands of years. On a more recent map, the place is known as Tel Megiddo. Megiddo is a site in which more battles than probably any other locality on the planet. For now the site of Megiddo is one of the crown jewels of Israeli archaeology. Remains of more than twenty five cities, representing every period of ancient history in the land of Israel, have been uncovered. Megiddo controlled a narrow but strategic road which is known as the Via Maris, "the Way of the Sea." Via Maris was a major international highway in the ancient world. This highway stretched from Egypt to the south all the way to Babylon in Mesopotamia. It linked the major empires and trading routes of those early days. Megiddo's strategic position on this highway made it a very good city with regard to trade and commerce. Any person who was in control over Megiddo definitely controlled access to trade all along this highway. Megiddo was a strategic point and therefore, for the empires of the ancient world. Control of Megiddo was almost a prerequisite for anyone to control any of the empires which were found in the region. Many wars were fought at this important place known as Megiddo over the course of history. The wars involved the ancient powers who were powerful at different eras in history. Thus there were different powers that dominated ancient Israel at different stages in its history. An example of the many wars fought around Megiddo is which took place in 1479 B.C. The Egyptian who was known as Pharaoh Thutmose III commenced a campaign close to Megiddo so as to be able to govern the territories in Canaan and also towards the north of Canaan. Strategies employed by Israel, Judah, and the smaller states in the region to deal with the major powers and whether they were successful. One of the ways employed by Israel, Judah and other smaller states was revolt. The states found in ancient Israel employed this method so as to overcome the invaders who were definitely not welcome as they were a source of much distress to the occupants of ancient Israel. This was because the invaders dominated the inhabitants both economically and politically. An example cited for revolt was one by Hezekiah. Hezekiah, in raising the standard of Judah in revolt, thought the new king was very busy. Other states included some of the Philistine city-states, Judah's neighbors and ancient enemies to the south who included Phoenicia; parts of Asia Minor; and most the most important was Babylon. Hezekiah also banked heavily on the power of the south, specifically Egypt, to defend him against the great power of the north. The revolt had been as a result of the demise of the brilliant warrior King Sargon II of Assyria who was killed far away from home. He had been fighting against forces led by the otherwise unknown Eshpai the Kullumaean. He was the only Assyrian king to be killed in the field, and his death represented a huge blow to Assyrian prestige. Sargon II’s death removed the myth of Assyrian invincibility. Many nations who were suffering under the rule of Assyrians saw the death as an opportunity to rebel against Assyria. Judah's importance to Assyria was geographic as its location was between Phoenicia and Philistia. The kingdom itself was of very little value, but the Assyrians had the belief that their gods had given them a mission to conquer the whole world. In defying the mission and challenging Assyrian pride, King Hezekiah too would have to be made an example. It is worth noting that at times these revolts did not succeed. How the major empires affected the politics and faith of Israel and Judah. The major empires had a profound effect on the politics of Israel and Judah. On the political front we find that the empires that attacked Israel introduced new structures of power and the chain of command changed whereby Israel was administered like a vassal state. In terms of religion, it is to be recognized that the foreign powers introduced the worship of many other gods unlike the tradition in Israel whereby the state believed in one God. It is recorded that while Hezekiah was not intimidated by the Assyrian advance, Sennacherib recorded that eight kings of the West, a group of kings from Phoenicia in the north to Edom and Philistia in the south, came to pay him homage and also offer tribute. Those kings who did not submit to the Assyrians were exiled. An example is given of the king of Ashkelon who was banished and his gods taken to Assyria. Sennacherib harassed Hezekiah by pulling in the noose gradually while Hezekiah stood there. He could not save his people and 200,150 were captured alive. The inhabitants of Judah were eventually deported. Sennacherib's attack to Judah was a fateful moment in history. Had he demolished Jerusalem or even exiled the inhabitants this act would have meant the end of the end of Judah as a state. Without Judah, there would have been no Judaism; and thus no Christianity or Islam, and the resulting world would bear little resemblance to our own. References: Anchor Bible Dictionary, "Israel, History of," "King and Kingship," Avi Beker, The Chosen: The History of an Idea and the Anatomy of an Obsession, New York: Palgrave Mcmillan, 2008 Ernest Wright, Biblical Archaeology Rev. ed; Philadelphia:Westminster, 1962. HarperCollins Atlas of Bible History Davies, P.R., In Search of 'Ancient Israel': A Study in Biblical Origins, Sheffield ,JSOT Press, 1992. Emil L. Fackenheim, God’s Presence in History: Jewish Affirmations and Philosophical Reflections New York: New York University Press, 1970. Federal Research Division, Israel A County Study (Paperback ed.), Kessinger Publishing,2004 John Bright, A History of Israel ,Philadelphia: Westminster, 1959. Jon D. Levenson, Sinai and Zion: An Entry into the Jewish Bible ,San Francisco: Harper& Row, 1985, p.213. John Bright, Early Israel in Recent History Writing: A Study in Method ,London: SCM Press, 1956. Kurt L. Noll, “Looking on the Bright Side of Israel’s History: Is There Pedagogical Value in a Theological Presentation of History?” Biblical Interpretation, 7 1999. Leona G. Running and David Noel Freedman, William Foxwell Albright: A Twentieth- Century Genius,(New York: Morgan, 1975. Lesch, Ann M. and Tschirgi, Dan. Origins and Development of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Greenwood Press: West Port, Connecticut.1998. Segev, Tom One Palestine Complete: Jews and Arabs Under British Mandate. New York: Henry Holt & Co.1991. Troen, Selwyn Ilan; Noah Lucas. Israel: The First Decade of Independence. SUNY Press. William Sanford La Sor, David Allan Hubbard, Frederic William Bush, Leslie C. Allen , Old Testament Survey .Burlington,VT.Ashgate,2009. Read More