Philistines

A member of the Sea Peoples, the Philistines heralded from Aegea -- possibly from the collapsed Mycenaean civilization -- and settled on the Canaanite coast in the early 12th CENT BCE. Their early history is recounted from Egyptian and biblical sources; their later history and decline are recounted in Assyrian, Babylonian and the Bible (which describes them as uncircumcised aliens).

The Philistines maintained a unique identity in their cities and settlements for ~600 years. They likely were brought into the Levant as mercenaries hired by Egypt, then settled on the coast and controlled important ports. They became increasingly Orientalized, and when Philistine hegemony was decimated by Assyrians and Babylonians, they were not distinguishable from the Canaanites.

The Amarna letters mention seafaring mercenaries working for Egypt as early as the 14th CENT BCE. These mercenaries were hired to raid Byblos (in Canaan) and cities on the Mediterranean's eastern coast. Reliefs at Luxor and elsewhere describe a 13th CENT BCE battle at Qadesh, where Sea Peoples helped Ramesses II fight Hittites. A power vacuum ensued, and the Philistines and other Sea Peoples opportunistically advanced inland until Ramesses III stopped them. Ramesses III's mortuary temple provides the first specific mention of Philistines: Foreign countries made a conspiracy...their confederation was the Philistines, Tjeker, Shekelesh, Denye and Weshesh... .

Upon defeating the Philistines, Ramesses III granted them permission to settle on the southern coastal plain of Canaan (along with the Sherden and Tjeker). Thus, Philistines arrived on the Canaanite coast as both hostile invaders destroying and re-settling Canaanite cities, and as mercenaries in Egyptian-controlled garrison towns. Reliefs at Madinat Habu reveal not just infantry and chariotry Philistines, but civilians as well; they wanted to settle in their newly conquered lands, which spanned from the Yarkon River, to the northwestern Negev, to the western slopes of Judea. They seem to have not suffered foreign attacks at this time, as Philistine homes were sometimes outside of city walls.

The Bible mentions five Philistine, a.k.a. Cherethites (צפניה Zephaniah 2:5, Eze. 25:16), as having capital cities forming the Philistine pentapolis of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashqelon, Gath and Ekron.

Ashqelon was a critical Mediterranean port in its time. Gaza and Ashdod have kept their ancient names.Semi-autonomous and smaller Philistine settlements include Ziklag, Timnah and Jabneh. After territorial victory over the Israelites, Philistines expanded to west of the Jordan river. Philistine material culture lost its Aegean tradition and Egyptian and Phoenician influences grew dominant. Their power peaked circa 1050 BCE - 1000 BCE.

Israelites remained subordinate until Saul established a monarchy, his son Jonathan defeated the Philistines at Michmash and David famously encountered Goliath (a Philistine). When David established the United Monarchy about ten years later, he had "defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines" (1 Chronicles 18:1). David then continued to invade Philistine territories, possibly even reducing some to vassaldom. At most Philistine cities, thick layers of debris and ash have been found that date to the start of the 10th CENT BCE.

In the four centuries after their military eclipse by David, Philistine cities suffered huge military defeats by Assyria and Babylon. Assyrian kings Tiglath-Pileser III (744 BCE - 727 BCE), Shalmaneser V (726 BCE - 722 BCE) and Sargon II (721 BCE - 705 BCE). all of Syria and Palestine to the Egyptian border succumbed to Assyria's hegemony. Although these territories were divided into vassals, some cities enjoyed an 8th CENT BCE renaissance. Ashdod had its own king, and Ekron reached its economic zenith only by the beginning of the 6th CENT BCE. However, local uprisings led to mass deportations (other deportees replaced them). One inscription from Sargon II's palace at Khorsabad reads:

I besieged [and] conquered the cities Ashdod, Gath, Asdudimmu; I declared his images, his wife, his children, all the possessions and treasures of his palace as well as the inhabitants of his country as booty. I reorganized [the administration of] these cities [and] settled therein people from the [regions] of the East which I had conquered personally. I installed an officer of mine over them and declared them Assyrian citizens ad they pulled the straps [of my yoke]." translated by A. L. Oppenheim in ANET, p 256

The Istanbul Prism, a Babylonian document, mentions that Nebuchadnezzar II campaigned in Philistine ~600 BCE and imprisoned the king of Ashdod. Philistine cities became part of Neo-Babylonia, and centuries of assimilation, decimation, deportation and re-settlement had destroyed Philistia's ethnic distinction.

Gaza, Ashqelon and Ashdod flourished again in the Perisan, Hellenistic and Roman periods; however, their heritage had been scrubbed of any Philistine traces.

Philistine culture

The Philistines initially worshipped the Great Goddess of the Aegean. The Bible mentions Philistian worship of Dagon, a Canaanite god only adopted by the Philistines at the end of the 11th CENT BCE as local customs were assimilated. A Philistine temple at Tell Qasile was built ~1150 BCE in an Aegean style. enlarged ~1100 BCE and then rebuilt after destruction by Israelites. Amidst the artifacts are various pottery stands, ceremonial masks, libation vessels and figurines. Bones have been found of sacrificed Goats, sheep, camels, cattle and even hippopotamuses. At Ashdod, a female deity shaped like a chair was worshipped until Sargon II's conquest.

An enormous yet airy palace at Ekron was discovered with a cult stand reminiscent of those made for Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem by Hiram, king of Tyre I Kings 7:27 - 7:30. Philistia's pentapoli have not yielded burial grounds, but Philistine cemetaries at other sites have shown great diversity. Egyptian anthropoid coffins, Mycenaean rock-cut chamber tombs and even cremation have all been noted. In a nod to Aegean culture, dramatically grieving female terra-cotta figurines have been found in burials. The Philistines eventually fully assimilated into Canaanite culture.