Gaza - Clickable Map of the Roman Empire - First Century AD
Gaza
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Ancient Gaza (Modern el-Ghazzeh) In Biblical times Gaza was one of the five Philistine cities and located at the southwestern portion of Israel. According to the Bible in the Book of Judges, the Israelite hero Samson was imprisoned by the Philistines and met his death in Gaza.
Gen. 10:19 - And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.
Deut. 2:23 - And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, [even] unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)
Josh. 11:22 - There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
Josh. 13:3 - From Sihor, which [is] before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, [which] is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:
Josh. 15:47 - Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border [thereof]:
Judg. 1:18 - Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
Judg. 16:21 - But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
1 Sam. 6:17 - And these [are] the golden emerods which the Philistines returned [for] a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one;
1 Kgs. 4:24 - For he had dominion over all [the region] on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
2 Kgs. 18:8 - He smote the Philistines, [even] unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
Jer. 47:1 - The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.
Gaza After being ruled by the Israelites, Assyrians, and then the
Egyptians, Gaza achieved relative independence and prosperity under the Persian
Empire. Alexander the Great besieged Gaza, the last city to resist his conquest
on his path to Egypt, for five months before finally capturing it 332 BCE;[10]
the inhabitants were either killed or taken captive. Alexander brought in local
Bedouins to populate Gaza and organized the city into a polis (or "city-state").
Greek culture consequently took root and Gaza earned a reputation as a
flourishing center of Hellenic learning and philosophy.[12] Gaza experienced
another siege in 96 BCE by the Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus who "utterly
overthrew" the city, killing 500 senators who had fled into the temple of Apollo
for safety.[13] Josephus notes that Gaza was resettled under the rule of
Antipas, who cultivated friendly relations with Gazans, Ascalonites and
neighboring Arabs after being appointed governor of Idumea by Jannaeus.[14]
Rebuilt after it was incorporated into the Roman Empire in 63 BCE under the
command of Pompey Magnus, Gaza was temporarily ruled by Herod the Great before
becoming a part of the Roman province of Syria.[10] It was targeted by the Jews
during their rebellion against Roman rule in 66 and was partially destroyed.[15]
It nevertheless remained an important city, even more so after the destruction
of Jerusalem.[16]
Throughout the Roman period, Gaza was a prosperous city and received grants and
attention from several emperors.[10] A 500-member senate governed Gaza, and a
diverse variety of Philistines, Greeks, Romans, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Jews,
Egyptians, Persians, and Bedouin populated the city. Gaza's mint issued coins
adorned with the busts of gods and emperors.[17] During his visit in 130 CE,[18]
Emperor Hadrian personally inaugurated wrestling, boxing, and oratorical
competitions in Gaza's new stadium, which became known from Alexandria to
Damascus. The city was adorned with many pagan temples; the main cult being that
of Marnas. Other temples were dedicated to Zeus, Helios, Aphrodite, Apollo,
Athene and the local Tyche.[10] Christianity began to spread throughout Gaza in
250 CE, last in the port of Maiuma.[19][20][21][22] Conversion to Christianity
in Gaza was accelerated under Saint Porphyrius between 396 and 420. In 402, he
ordered all eight of the city's pagan temples destroyed,[10] and four years
later Empress Aelia Eudocia commissioned the construction of a church atop the
ruins of the Temple of Marnas. - Wikipedia
Gaza GAZA
GAZA (Γάζα: Eth. Γαζαῖος), a very ancient and important city of Palestine
Proper, first mentioned in the southern border of the Canaanites (Gens. x.: 19),
but originally inhabited by the Avims, who were dispossessed by the Caphtorims.
(Deut. ii.: 23.) It as included in the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15.47), but
remained in possession of the Philistines (1 Sam. 6.17), whose capital it
apparently was (Judges, 16.21). Josephus says that it was taken by Hezekiah.
(Ant. 9.13.3.) It is celebrated in secular, as in sacred history. Arrian, in his
Expedition of Alexander (2.27), describes it as a large city, distant 20 stadia
from the sea, situated on a lofty mound, and fortified by a strong wall. It was
well provisioned, and garrisoned by a force of Arab mercenaries under the
command of an eunuch named Batis (or, according to Josephus, Babemeses), and its
high walls baffled the engineers of Alexander (B.C. 332), who declared
themselves unable to invent engines powerful enough to batter such massive
walls. Mounds were raised on the south side of the town, which was most
assailable, and the engines were erected on this artificial foundation. They
were fired by the besieged, in a spirited sally, and the rout of the Macedonians
was checked by the king in person, who was severely wounded in the shoulder
during the skirmish. During his slow recovery the engines that had been used at
Tyre were sent for, and the mound was proceeded with until it reached the height
of 250 feet, and the width of a quarter of a mile. The besiegers were thrice
repulsed from the wall; and when a breach had been effected, in the third
assault, and the city carried by escalade, its brave garrison still fought with
desperate resolution, until they were all killed. The women and children were
reduced to slavery. The siege had apparently occupied three or four months; and
the conqueror introduced a new population into the place from the neighboring
towns, and used it as a fortress. (Arrian, 2.27, followed by Bp. Thirlwall,
Greece, vol. vi. pp. 354--357.) If this be true, the statement of Strabo, that
it was destroyed by Alexander, and remained desert, must be taken with some
qualification (p. 759). Indeed, the figure which it makes in the intermediate
period discredits the assertion of Strabo in its literal sense. Only twenty
years after its capture by Alexander, a great battle was fought in its
neighbourhood, between Ptolemy and Demetrius, wherein the latter was defeated,
with the loss of 5000 slain and 8000 prisoners. �Gaza, where he had left his
baggage, while it opened its gates to his cavalry on his retreat, fell into the
hands of the pursuing enemy.� (Thirlwall, vol. vii. p. 340.) Again, in the wars
between Ptolemy Philopator and Antiochus the Great (B.C. 217), it was used as a
dep�t of military stores by the Egyptian king (Plb. 5.68); and when the tide of
fortune turned, it retained its fidelity to its old masters, and was destroyed
by Antiochus (B.C. 198). And it is mentioned, to the credit of its inhabitants,
by Polybius, that, although they in no way excelled in courage the other
inhabitants of Coelosyria, yet they far surpassed them in liberality and
fidelity and invincible hardihood, which had shown itself in two former
instances, viz., in first resisting the Persian invaders, [1.981] and then in
maintaining their allegiance to the Persians against Alexander (16.40). It was
evidently a strong place in the time of the Asmonean princes, for it stood a
siege from Jonathan (1 Maccab. 11.61, 62; J. AJ 13.5.5); and having taken by
Simon, not without resistance, he cast out its idolatrous inhabitants, peopled
it with Jews, �made. it stronger than it was before, and built at therein a
dwelling-place for himself� (13.43--48). Only a little later, Alexander Jannaeus
besieged it in vain for twelve months, when it was betrayed into his hands. Its
importance at this period is attested by its senate of 500, whom the conqueror
slew and utterly overthrew their city. (Josoph. Ant. 13.13.3.) It did not long
continue in ruins, for it was one. of the many cities rebuilt by the command of
Gabinins (14.5.3). It was given to Herod the Great by Augustus (B. J. 1.20.3),
but not included in the dominions of his son Archelaus, as being a Grecian city
(2.6.3). These notices sufficiently expose the error of Strabo's statement above
cited; nor does there seem to be any authority for the theory of the
transference of the site, by which it has been attempted to reconcile his
statement with these historical notices. It is true that Strabo places the city
7 stadia from the harbour (p. 759); whereas Arrian (l.c.) states it to be 20
stadia at the most; but this discrepancy concerning the site of a town of which
neither of them could have any very accurate knowledge, cannot justify the
conclusion that the ancient city had been deserted, and another city of the same
name erected in its vicinity. Another and a decisive argument against this
theory is, that while the modern city occupies an eminence corresponding with
that described by Aprian, and is covered with ancient ruins, no vestiges have
been discovered in the neighbourhood which could mark the site of an earlier
city. A succession of coins, struck at Gaza, some few prior to the emperors, but
many more from Hadrian downwards, attest the importance of the city subsequently
to the Christian aera, and present some peculiarities worthy of observation. The
cypher, or characteristic sign of the city, impressed on almost all the coins,
has been variously explained, but by no one satisfactorily: but all that is
intelligible clearly attests it to have been a pagan city, in accordance with
the historical notices above cited The city itself is represented by a woman's
head; and the Greek deities, Zeus, Artemis, Apollo, Hercules, which figure in
the coins, with the absence of the local deity, Astarte, by far the most common
in the coins of other maritime cities of Syria, prove the city to have been, as
Josephus asserts (B. J. 7.13.4), a Grecian city, probably a colony, which may
account for its inveterate adhesion to the exploded superstition in the reign of
Constantine (Sozoman, H. E. 5.3). The h legends of the various coins serve no
less to elucidate the history of the city. The earliest (probably A. U. C. 693)
proves the city to have been autonomous; and as history bears witness to its
senate (βολή) of 500, so does this coin to its ΔΗΜΟΞ. ΙΕΠ. ΑΞΓ. further prove it
to have enjoyed the privileges of a sacred city and an asylum. The, name ΕΙΩ
serves to connect this city with the mythic Io; and the name ΜΕΙΝΩ applied to an
armed warrior with a sceptre in his hand, connects it also with the Cretan hero
Minos, and suggests the idea that it may have been colonised from that island;
and this idea is confirmed by another inscription, MAPNA, the signification of.
which is famished by early Christian writers, who tell us that the most
magnificent temple in Gaza (afterwards converted into a Christian church) was
dedicated to Mama, and thence called Marnion. This Mama, they add been was
identical with the Cretan Jove. (Eckhel, vol. iii. pp. 448--454.) Many of the
Jewish captives taken by Hadrian (A.D. 119) were sold at a fair instituted Gaza,
which was called, from this fact, the fair of Hadrian for many centuries after.
(Chrosn. Paschale in ann). The town is frequently noticed in Christian and
Moslem annals. It early became an episcopal see, and the names of its bishops
are found in many councils. (Le Quien, Oriens Christ., vol. iii. pp. 603--622).
It was a frontier town of great importance in the middle ages; and the
historical notices have been collected by Quatrem�re (Les Suttans Mamlouks de
Mackrisi, tom. 1.54.2. pp. 228--239).
The modern town, still called by its ancient name, �Azzah, signifying �the
strong,� �is situated on a low round hill of considerable extent, not elevated
more than 50 or 60 feet above the plain around. This hill may be regarded as the
nucleus of the city, although only the southern half is now covered with houses.
But the greater part of the modern city has sprung up on the plain below: a sort
of suburbs stretching far out on the eastern and northern sides. The ancient
city lay obviously chiefly on the hill. The present town has no gates; yet the
places of the former ones remain, and are pointed out around the hill.�
(Robinson, Bib. Res. vol. ii. pp. 374, 375.) �It contains, with the two villages
or suburbs adjoining, about 10,000 inhabitants. It is situated a short league
from the coast, which is here an open beach, and the landing difficult excepting
in very calm weather. It is surrounded by gardens, which produce fruit in
abundance.� (Alderson, Notes on Acre, p. 7, note 6.)
The port of Gaza was called �Majuma Gazae;� the Arabic word �Majuma,� signifying
portus or navcale, being applied alike to Ascalon, Jamnia Azotus, and Gaza. (Le
Quien, Oriens Christ. vol. iii. p. 622.) It was situated, according to Strabo,
only seven stadia from the city (l.c.). Arrian, in agreement with Sozomen, makes
the interva 20 stadia. (Sozomen, H. E. 2.5, p. 450, ed. Vales.) All that we know
of it we learn from the last-mentioned historian. Having been formerly strongly
addicted to pagan superstition, it was converted to the faith of Christ in the
reign of Constantine, who consequently honoured it with special privileges, and
erected it into an independent civitas, and called it Constantia, exempting it
from its subjection to Gaza whose inhabitants still retained their attachment to
the pagan superstition. (Sozomen, l.c.) Under the emperor Julian the people of
Gaza reasserted their supremacy, and the emperor decided in favour of their
claim. Its new name was withdrawn. and it was comprehended again within the name
and municipal jurisdiction of Gaza.
The ecclesiastical position of Gaza still continued distinct, with a bishop and
usages of its own; and when an attempt was made by a bishop of Gaza in the fifth
century to unite the two churches, the provincial synod confirmed it in its
former independence of that see. (Sozomen, H. E. 5.3, p. 597). Several of its
bishops are mentioned in the ecclesiastical annals. (Le Quien, Oriens Christ.
l.c.) - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography,
William Smith, LLD, Ed.
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