Hellenistic Palestine: Settlement Patterns and City Planning, 337-31 B.C.E. 9780860546221, 9781407347738

Table of contents :
Cover Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I . THE SITES
1. SOUTHERN PHOENICIA. THE COASTAL STRIP AND THE SHARON PLAIN, DOR.
2. THE SHEFELAH P PHILISTIA
3. IDUMEA
4. JUDEA
5. SAMARIA
6. GALILEE
7. TRANSJORDAN
8. THE GOLAN
CHAPTER II - SURVEYS
1. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEYS
2. THE DENSITY OF HELLENIZE CITIES
4. ECONOMY
CHAPTER III: CITY PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE
1. CHOICE OF SITE
2. GRID DESIGN AND OTHER URBAN PATTERNS
3. CITY WALLS
4. TOWERS AND GATES
5. TEMPLES
5. PALACES
PRIVATE HOUSES
NOTES
ABBREVIATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Citation preview

Hellenistic Palestine Settlement Patterns and City Planning, 337-31 B.C.E.

Ran1i Arav

BAR International Series 485 1989

B.A.R.

122 Banbury Rd, Oxford, OX2 7BP, UK

GENERAL EDITORS A.R. Hands, B.Sc., M.A., D.Phil. D.R. Walker, M.A.

BAR -S4-85, 1989: 'Hellenistic Palestine' © Ra:mi Arav, 1989

The author’s moral rights under the 1988 UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act are hereby expressly asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be copied, reproduced, stored, sold, distributed, scanned, saved in any form of digital format or transmitted in any form digitally, without the written permission of the Publisher. ISBN 9780860546221 paperback ISBN 9781407347738 e-book DOI https://doi.org/10.30861/9780860546221 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library This book is available at www.barpublishing.com

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

6

INTRODUCTION

7

CHAPTER 1 .

-

I

South the

The

-

Sites

15

Phoenicia,

Sharon

Plain,

Dor

Tower

29 38

Mevorakh

41

Shikmona

43

Tell

Zeror

46

Tell

Michal

47

Apollonia

2 .

and

21

Atlit Tell

Strip

15

I Accho

Ptolemais Strato' s

the Coast

/ Arsuf

50

Surveys

52

Notes

54

The

Shefelah

Azotus Joppa

-

Philistia

/ Ashdod

56 56

/ Jaffa / Yaffo

Gezer

58 63

Tell

Mor

67

Tell

Jemmeh

68

Ascalon

/ Ashkelon

The Yarkon

70

Basin

74

Gaza Tell

76 Hesi

76

Notes

77

1

3 .

4 .

I dumea

80

Marisa

80

Lachis

90

Beersheba

92

Arad

96

Surveys

98

Notes

98

Judea

105

Beth -Zur

105

Jerusalem

1 12

Jericho

120

The

Judean

Qumran

S .

6 .

and

Fortresses

125

En

129

Feshkha

Ein Gedi

134

Surveys

137

Notes

138

Samaria

141

Samaria

141

Tell

148

er -Ras

Shechem

150

Dothan

153

Surveys

154

Notes

154

Galilee

157

Philoteria

I Beth-Yerakh

157

Scythopolis

160

Tell

Anafa

163

Tell

Dan

166

2

Surveys ...............................167 Notes .................................167 7. Transjordan .............................171 Iraq el-Emir ..........................171 Philadelphia / Rabbat Ammon ...........179 Tell es-Saidiyeh ......................180 Pella ................................. 181 Abila .................................183 Gerasa ................................183 Gadara ................................184 Surveys ...............................186 8. The Golan

..............................185

Gamla .................................185 Surveys ...............................186 Notes .................................186 CHAPTER - II -

Surveys ....................... 190

1. Archaeological survey ...................190 2. The density of the Hellenized cities ....194 3. notes ...................................195 4 . The Economy .............................197 A. Sources ............................197 B. The prosperity of Egypt ............199 C.

The organization of Palestine .....203

D.

The effect on the local inhabitants.204

F.

Elements

of

Ptolemaic

Palestine ...............207

economic

growth

in

1. Land ownership .................208

3

a .

The

b .

Domains

c .

Gift

d .

Domains

2 .

2 10

estates of

210

the polis

2 11 211

b .

Irrigation

2 12

c .

Small

2 14

improvements

farms

Industry a .

Olive

b .

Wine

Elements

2 .

presses

War

system

-

the

economy

if

Palestine

in

225

policy

indemnity

225

and

its

implications. 226 228

City

Planning

and

Architecture

Choice

2 .

Grid

design

3 .

City

walls

4 .

Towers

S .

Temples

264

6 .

Palaces

268

7 .

Private Houses

273

8 .

Notes

276

and

AND

site

232

1 .

ABBREVIATIONS

of

211

220

Notes

I II

-

2 19

period

General

.

2 18

presses

in

.

218

The monetary

1 .

-

sword"

Agricultural

Seleucid

CHAPTER

by

a .

4 .

G .

"won

208

Agriculture

3 .

F

' Paradiesos'

and

232 other

patterns

240 247

Gates

256

BIBLIOGRAPHY

FIGURES

4

278

the

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I

gratefully

have contributed and information. name

in

this

I wish Prof.

short to

Francis

record

Levine

who

make E .

special

Peters

made

Lawrence

Schiffman

escorted

me.

Prof.

obligation

to

all

those

who

space.

Hellenistc philosophy and help since the day A .

my

to this research with advice, criticism Unfortunately they are too many for me to

who

acknowledgement introduced

me

and accompanied I arrived at New me

whose

feel

at

thought,

I am especially indebted to James R . McCredie, Prof.

home

to

to

my way York.

in

counsel

his and

my

this

advisor world

of

with Prof.

advice Baruch

home.

Prof.

encouragemnt

Prof. Eliezer Morton Smith,

D . Dr.

Oren, Ross

Brann, Dr. Rachel Sarna. My obligation is unique to John F . O ' Malley and others who helped me to say in English what I wanted to say, better than I could myself. I wish to thank the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Literature for my scholarship, and Lane Cooper foundation for my award. Last, but certainly not least, I wish to express my gratitude to my wife Naomi and my family, without whose constant help this work never would have been accomplished.

6

INTRODUCTION

period

The Hellenistic for which there

before period,

period in Palestine was was a richly documented

the first record even

archeology began its inquiry. The history of this as Albright stated it, "was never forgotten".

Although early as

the the

term "Hellenism" was coined 19th century, it was not

by Droysen applied to

as the

archeological f inds of Palestine before the late 1920' s. Up until that time, few genuine Hellenistic sites were excavated in Palestine, among them what are even today the most impressive Hellenistic settlements. Marisa, the only thoroughly unearthed Hellenistic city, was excavated at the end of the impressive

19th century tombs there

by Bliss and Macalister, while the were excavated at the beginning of

the century by Peters and Thiersh. Iraq el-Emir was discovered in 1817 by Irbi and Mengels, and again by De Saulcy ( 1868) and Konder ( 1881). It was excavated in October of 1904 by a Princeton University expedition, and was published by Butler ( 1919); later, it was excavated by Lapp ( 1962) and by Will ( 1975-1980). in the years 1908-1910 by two

Samaria was excavated Harvard University

expeditions, one of which was headed by Schumacher, the other by Reisner and Fisher, when the Hellenistic residential quarter of the acropolis was revealed. Later excavations in the 1920's exposed the magnificant Hellenistic tower. Gezer was twice excavated: in 1902-1905 and 1907-1909 by the Palestine Exploration Fund, and the results were published by MacAlister in 1912. In the course of these excavations, were unearthed. This concerning up until scale of

some

important

Hellenistic

was, more or less, the state of Hellenistic architectural remains

1920. those

building

our knowledge in Palestine

The expectations of finding monuments on the in Asia Minor and Greece were not fulfilled,

and in 1925 MacAlister attempted to explain why: absence of permanent structures, of inscriptions, of of The

art, high

ancestral to that

"the work

is itself a symptom of unrest and discouragement. hopes with which the returned exiles came to their home is voiced in some time of short-lived

disillusionment the authors Malachi; this

is

expressed

by

of Ecclesiastes, disillusionment is

of the Psalms happiness. such and also

that Their

pessimistic

belong utter

writers

as

of the book called reflected in the lack

of aspiration, to which the remains associated with this epoch of history only too clearly testify" ( MacAlister, 1925:192). In fact, the reasons for such a discouraging picture were less romantic and had little to do with what MacAlister suggested. The Hellenistic finds suffered, in these early archeological

stages criteria

of by

research, which they

7

from the lack of could be distinguished

from Roman and Byzantine artifacts, on the one hand, and from the Persian and the Israelite, on the other; and in addition to this from the lack of sufficient archeological evidence to permit a comprehensive study of this era. The round towers of Samaria, for example, were incorrectly attributed by Reisner to the 8th century B .C E . They are in fact Hellenistic ( Renyon. 1952). The problem, as it was discovered, was not "pessimism," but rather the Romans; they built the foundations for their structures deep into the remains of previous buildings, virtually destroying former levels and what had gone before, namely, the patterns of the Hellenistic settlements in Palestine ( 11 Considerable advances in archeological research as it relates to the Hellenistic period were achieved during the period between the two world wars. Although the major excavated Hellenistic site was still Marisa, a more precise method of dating was fixed by means of pottery and the careful reading of coins. The attention of scholars was drawn to the excavation of Beth -Zur, a poorly-preserved Hellenistic fo 'r 'ess town which generated debate on diverse stratigraphies. For the rest, the major sites excavated during this period contained very few Hellenistic remains. Megiddo had not been occupied throughout this entire period. In Scythopolis I Beth Shan the excavators could not identify Hellenistic levels; indeed, they may not have existed at all. At Lachish, Hellenistic levels were mingled with the Persian. In summation it must be pointed out that, although there have been major excavations at Helenisitic sites outside of and Alexandria, Palestine

did

not

Palestine, such as it appears that receive

the

same

Dura this

Europus, Antioch same period in

scholarly

attention.

In 1935 Watzinger advanced our general knowledge of this era ( Watzinger 1935:11:10-30). He surveyed the Hellenistic presence in Palestine, primarily through the investigation of the city plan of Marisa and the decorated tombs there, the citadel of Beth Zur and the structure at Iraq el-Emir. As was common in his day, he drew analogies from Dura Europus. Consequently, he was inclined to emphasize the survival of Near Eastern elements in the architecture of thsese sites; the temple of Marisa was viewed by him as an Idumean temple, for example, and the earlier fortress at Beth Zur as built in Assyrian palace style

.

A decade later, Albright would accurately sum up the f inds of this period under the heading "The Greco-Roman period" ( Albright 1945: 146-154). He suggested for the first time, a subdivision of the Hellenistic era into a ‚

"Lagides Period," and a "Seleucid Period". This subdivision was generally accepted, although the nomenclature "Ptolemaic" superseded "Lagides" in referring to most treatments of the earlier period. Though he observations on what were then rather scanty

8

based his findings,

Albright's

discussion

remains

useful.

In his view, two trends are observable in Hellenistic Palestine. In the first phase extensive Hellenic influence was at work, and the city plan of Marisa serves as a notable example. There according to Hellenistic

the streets principles,

as nearly as practicable at b locks of houses" ( Albright. are the book of

painted tombs i llustrations

and houses were built "with streets running

right angles forming regular 1945:149). Furthermore, there

of Marisa, which were "based on some of wildlife sketched from the famous

zoological garden of Alexandria" ( Albright, 1945:149). Finally he could point to the monument of the Tobiads from I raq el-Emir, a building that was then interpreted as a mausoleum.

These,

jars

were

that

Hellenic

style

in found

addition

to

in

number,

great

coins

and

Rhodian

are

evidence

wine of

influence.

The later and the

phase shows a regression from the re-emergence of indiginous Near

Hellenic Eastern

motifs. According to Albright, examples l ike the palace of Simon the Hasmonean at Gezer and the Hasmonean fortress at Beth

Zur

are

evidence

of

a

indiginous

architectural

tradition that reflects the political, cultural and religious aspects of Hasmonean resentment toward their former Hellenistic ruler. These conclusions follow, in fact, the picture presented by the historians of that peirod [ 2]. Albright also suggested that rather than drawing conclusion from the few monuments in Palestine from the Hellenistic period, it could be more useful to make analogical arguments based on a reconstruction "from a fragment the same remains

by comparing it with another complete object of type" ( Albright, 1945:147), a method which in fact in

common use

Avi-Yonah

and

today.

others

continued

this

line

of

thinking

after Albright and succeeded in bringing the picture into more distinct focus, although with an emphasis on the intensive interaction that existed between the "Oriental elements" and those typical of the Hellenistic world. A review of these has revealed that appeared. Greek

methods in the l ight of present research the picture is not so simple as it first cultural influence is already widely

observed in the Persian period ( Stern, 1972), though not on the scale of the Hellenistic period proper. Many common ideas about architecture and city planning circulated between the Persian and Hellenic world, and it is not always Eastern

clear in

whether any origin.

topographical introduced into questions of regions. regions

It of

one of them is Furthermore,

Hellenic or geographical

Near and

considerations have been more recently the research in order to shed more light on patterns and development in particular

has been noted, for the country adopted

9

example, different

that different architectural

techniques

or

trends.

This volume is divided into three chapters. chapter presents the " archeological evidence",

The f irst i . e., the

surveyed, excavated and published major sites in Palestine that have yielded Hellenistic remains- Since regionalism is an aspect in our inquiry, we deviated from the common methodology of proceeding from the most to the least impressive site. Instead, we present the sites from the northern seashore to the eastern inland regions, with an attempt to illustrate the significance of the indiginous elements. In the past few years, it has been observed, by many scholars, that regional elements play a significant role in the Phoenicians

overall aspect of in the coast

cultures. For were viewed

example, as the

stimulating element to push Hellenism forward. encounter with the Greeks goes back as early as the millennium B . C. E. As a result, their cities interesting blend of Hellenistic and local sites in the regions of Judea and Samaria adherence to local traditionsThe city of became a Greek colony) had little impact planning

and

architecture

Samaritans) juxtaposition

In of

.

local

settlements

of

Shechem

the Galilee a dense network did

not

affect

( the

the most

Their second are an

elements. The show a f irm Samaria ( which on the city of

the

and Transjordan of Greek poleis with

capital

the the

either.

The volume, offer to

sites within the regions are presented, in this beginning with those with the most information to those with the least. This is an attempt to infer

from

more

the Our

topics.

complete

research We

to

the

within

the

investigate

topographical

setting

of

fragmentary. sites the

the

sites

is

confined

in

order

relation of the site to its hinterland and determine its economic and strategic value.

the

to

geographical to

several and

examine

foreland,

The topic "Explorations and Excavations" brings us examination of the modern scientific research of

the the and

to the

sites. Surprising as it may sound, much of the significance of the site comes from a proper archeological treatment. Excavations carried out during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, naturally fell prey to inexperienced archaeologists whose field methods could only be described today undoubtedly indebted efforts under harsh committed

the

same

as "disastrous". We to those pioneers for conditions we would

mistakes

during

an even

are, however, without their surely have

later

period.

finds from surveys Chapter I I deals with Hellenistic cities subsequently with the density of Palestine. Economy plays a major role in every society Hellenistic society is no exception. The economy

and in

Palestine,

our

in

regard

to

the

10

settlement

patterns,

is

and of

..

techniques or trends.

main concern in this chapter.

This volume is divided into three chapters. The first chapter presents the "archeological evidence", i.e., the surveyed, excavated and published major sites in Palestine that have yielded Hellenistic remains. Since regionalism is an aspect in our inquiry, we deviated from the common methodology of proceeding from the most to the least impressive site. Instead, we present the sites from the northern seashore to the eastern inland regions, with an attempt to illustrate the significance of the indiginous elements. In the past few years, it has been observed, by many scholars, that regional elements play a significant role in the overall aspect of cultures. For example, the Phoenicians in the coast were viewed as the most stimulating element to push Hellenism forward. Their encounter with the Greeks goes back as early as the second millennium· B.C.E. As a result, their cities are an interesting blend of Hellenistic and local elements. The sites in the regions of Judea and Samaria show a firm adherence to local traditions. The city of Samaria (which became a Greek colony) had little impact on the city planning and architecture of Shechem (the capital of the Samaritana). In the Galilee and Transjordan the juxtaposition of a dense network of Greek E21�!� with the local settlements did not affect either.

Chapter III deals with city planning and architecture. This chapter is based on evidence presented in the first and second chapters. It discusses the problema of choice of site, city walls and gatea, towers, temples, palaces and private houses. It appears in this chapter that militarism was, perhaps, the most prominent manifestation of Hellenism during this period in Palestine. Rulers were aware of the latest military practices and technology and employed them whenever practicable. On the other extreme, the architecture of palaces and private homes clearly demonstrated the degree of perplexity within which the upper class existed while seeking Hellenistic manners with which to make their entry into the civilied world.

The sites within the regions are presented, in this volume, beginning with those with the most information to offer to those with the least. This is an attempt to infer from the more complete to the fragmentary. Our research within the sites is confined to several topics. We investigate the geographical and the topographical setting of the sites in order to examine the relation of the site to its hinterland and foreland, and determine its economic and strategic value. The topic "Explorations and Excavations" brings us to the examination of the modern scientific research of the sites. Surprising as it may sound, much of the significance of the site comes from a proper archeological treatment. Excavations carried out during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, naturally fell prey to inexperienced archaeologists whose field methods could only be describea today as "disastrous". We are, however, undoubtedly indebted to those pioneers for without their efforts under harsh conditions we would surely have commifted the same mistakes during an even later period. and Chapter II deals with finds from surveys subsequently with the density of Hellenistic cities in Palestine. Economy plays a major role in every society and Hellenistic society is no exception. The economy of Palestine, in regard to the settlement patterns, is our 10

11

CHAPTER

I .

THE SITES

1� §QYIHiBH fHQiH1º1b� IHi gQb§Ib� §IB!f bHQ IHi §HABQH f�b1H�

Dor is located on the Carmel seashore in a region whose topographical boundaries extend 23 km. in length and 5 km. in width. The coastal plain at Dor is divided into the eastern part (sorne 3 km. wide) and the western {1.8 km.). The western section consists of three north-south ridges that create two long, yet shallow valleys. There was discovered in the western valley the remains of the Reman road that most probably followed the much earlier tracks of the coastal highway. The ridges are quite low, the highest point on the eastern ridge being 20 m. above sea level, and the highest point on the western ridge 14 m.. Tel Dor is 16 m. above sea level and therefore is the highest point along the western ridge. The sea shore of Dor is 6ne of the most jagged shores on the whole coast of Israel. Four islets are just off the shore, of which the largest is 5.5 acres. Two bays of different size are situated to the northwest and to the south of the mound, making the city almost a semi-islet. Port facilities were found only in the northwestern bay - see figs. 1 and 2. The rise of Dor and its significance is due not only to its location on the coastal road, the so called Via Maris, and its excellent port facilities, but also to the fact that Dor is located on the junction of a main route leading from the coast to the fertile Jezreel valley and thence to the hinterland and the Kings' Highway - see fig. 1. It seems that Dor's hinterland is not only the 5 km.­ wide plain between the sea and the Carmel, but extended to include the area farther east, to the western corner of the Jezreel valley [3]. Crops harvested there could be easily carried to Dor for export, in addition to the wine and oil produced in the Carmel and Menasse mountains. In establishing a colony at this site, the Sidonians, and perhaps also the Greeks (Stern,1985), undoubtedly sought to promete their commercial relationship with the Jezreel valley, as happened at the sites held by the Tyrians, Ptolemais/Accho for example.

12

CHAPTER

I .

THE SITES

1� §QY!HIBH fHQIH!Q!A� Ilii QQA§!A� §!B!f AHQ Ilii §HABQH f�A!H� QQB

Dor is located on the Carmel seashore in a region whose topographical boundaries extend 23 km. in length and 5 km. in width. The coastal plain at Dor is divided into the eastern part (sorne 3 km. wide) and the western (1.8 km.). The western section consista of three north-south ridges that create two lon�. yet shallow valleys. There was discovered in the western ��lley the remains of the Roman road that most probably followed ·the much earlier tracks of the coastal hi�hwav. The ridges are quite low, the highest point on the eastern ridge being 20 m. above sea level, and the highest point on the western ridge 14 m._ Tel Dor is 16 m. above sea level and therefore is the highest point along the western ridge. The sea shore of Dor is 6ne of the most jagged shores on the whole coast of Israel. Four isleta are just off the shore, of which the largest is 5.5 acres. Two bays of different size are situated to the northwest and to the south of the mound, making the city almost a semi-islet. Port facilities w�re found only in the northwestern bay - see figs. 1 and 2. The rise of Dor and its significance is due not only to its location on the coastal road, the so called Via Maris, and its excellent port facilities, but also to the fact that Dor is located on the junction of a main route leading from the coast to the fertile Jezreel valley and thence to the hinterland and the Kings' Highway - see fig. 1. It seems that Dor's hinterland is not only the 5 krn.­ wide plain between the sea and the Carmel, but extended to include the area farther east. to the western corner of the Jezreel valley [3]. Crops harvested there could be easily carried to Dor for export, in addition to the wine and oil produced in the Carmel and Menasse mountains. In establishing a colony at this site, the Sidonians, and perhaps also the Greeks (Stern,1985), undoubtedly sought to prornote their commercial relationship with the Jezreel valley, as happened at the sites held by the Tyrians, Ptolemais/Accho for example.

12

The mound of Dor is semi-rectangular in shape and SO acres in size. Since the south-west section of the Tell is the highest area, it is there that we should expect the acropolis to be located - see fig. 3 - and this was in fact the case. In 1923-1924 two seasons of excavations were carried out at Dor under the sponsorship of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem. The excavations were headed by J. Garstang and were expanded a year later. In 1950 and 1952, J. Leibovitz conducted sorne excavations at the north section of the mound on behalf of the Israel Department of Antiquities. The third expedition at Dor has been carried on since 1980 by E. Stern of the Hebrew University. The remains excavated by the British expedition which pertain to the Hellenistic period include sorne architectural remains (EAEHL s.v. Dor). In the northwest portien the expedition discovered a solid wall of ashlar stones and mortar, while above this was a Roman wall. This may have been part of the sea wall mentioned by Stephanus of Byzantium. In 1924 a large temenos was excavated at the southwest cerner of the mound, below the acropolis at the south. The excavators reported only on the northern section, which was apparently a self-contained unit separated from the southern part. This latter southern section of the tell at Dor is merely shown in a general plan and is not accompanied by a detailed description. The building consisted of a spacious enclosure or - 'ternenos' (70.4 x 41.6 m.), the largest of its kind in Palestine, excluding the Temple Mount at Jerusalem. The temple was entirely destroyed, but the podium has been preserved. It measured 24 m. wide, but the length was not reported. Two entrances leading from the city to the temple were discovered at the western wall of the 'temenos'. The floor above this structure contained pillar bases and was dated to the late Rornan period. The space between the temenos and the podium was filled with architectural fragmenta dating from the early Reman period. Sorne of the fragments contained Attic bases and plain Ionic capitals without floral decoration, the latter similar to those uncovered at Samaria and at Miletus and which date from the Hellenistic period. Based on this, the excavators suggested that pillars had been erected on top of the podiurn, at least in the northern section. The finds included pottery dating from the fifth to first centuries B.C.E., much of it imported from Greece. The excavators maintained that the temple was similar to the Syrian temples of Poseidon in the Roman period. However, they dated·the building to the Hellenistic period, which makes it rather difficult to compare it to Roman temples at Syria, the earliest of which dates to the first century C.E.. Watzinger 13

(1935:II:27 ff.) interpreted the finds as a colonnaded stoa. Another interpretation suggests that it could have been a port facility (Finkelstein, 1978). This latter interpretation takes it for granted that the sea line had not changed in 2000 years. Since, however, geologists do not yet agree on this point, the interpretation of this structure as a port device cannot be substantiated. E. Stern holds that it was a temple, and he contends that other temples should be found at this site (Stern,1972). Since the temple was close to the sea archeologists suggested that it was dedicated to Pos�idon. On the basis of this suggestion, they identify the worshippers as Greeks. The excavations of J. Leibowitz were carried out at the northern section of the site, on an adjoining rnound. Since his finds consisted of a theater of the Rornan period, it falls outside our scope here. The excavation of E. Stern is being carried out at the eastern part of the mound, but since it has not yet reached its conclusion, observations must be based only on the prelirninary reports rnade available thus far [4].

The excavations have revealed that the city was planned and built according to Hippodamean design: i.e., a network of streets intersecting at right angles, with a division into explicit quarters according to function. This c�ty plan_was found to be •applicable as early as the Persian period. Temples were probably located in the western part of the city, while public buildings such as the ag�ra and _thea�er were located in the northern section of the ci�y. Residential quarters were divided into blocks with a traverse network of streets.

Unearthed near the city wall were 200 m. of residential Along the inner face of the city buildings - see fig. S. wall stood a long row of stores and workshops. One of these contained a thick layer of crushed murex shells, indicating a local dye industry. The street there w�s � m. wide a�d �ad the elaborate facade of a residential building. The building 20 m. wide and was lined by buildings which had a was comparably well-finished facade facing the western and the eastern streets - see fig. 2. This long building was divided into apartrnents and rooms. It appears that it rose to a height of two to three stories. Three successive layers were unearthed. The earliest one dates from the third century 14

B.C.E . . The pattern seems to be Hippodamean, although the details, such as ashlar piers constructed within field stone walls, are Phoenician structural elements. The excavated street led to the city gate. which contained two external towers and two large flanking rooms.

The inhabitants of Dor during the Hellenistic period had taken great pains to fortify their city. A strong and thick surrounded the city. The wall was built with large wall slabs (1 by 0.5 m.) according to the headers technique, This wall was familiar to us from Phoenician cities. preserved in sorne parts as high as 3 rneters. Three.square-shaped towers were built SO m. apart. One of the towers had a central pillar of stones which indicated interior wooden steps around the pillar. This and the watchtower at Tell Zeror are the earliest spiral staircases known, and may be identified with the ���i�� (Hebrew: "turn around'') rnentioned in the Temple Scroll (Magen,1984) - see figs. 2,4,20. This wall was dated to the end of the Ptolemaic period on the basis of a coin of Ptolemy II found in its lower level. It is assurned that during the conquest of Antiochus III this wall and its towers were still in use. Outside the city wall, to the southeast of the city, sorne rernnants of a temple were found [SJ. It appears that this temple was located at a small area carved out of the rock and was in service until the fourth century C.E.. At this time it was converted into a church and, as a result, the original plan of the temple was almost entirely altered. The rernains of the harbor were surveyed by E. Linder and A. Raban of Haifa University and were found to be similar to those of other Phoenician ports of the Persian period. It seerns that sorne of the ports (including Dor) were built along the coast of Palestine slightly prior to the conquest of Alexander, presumably during the time the Phoenician fleet was the main body in the Persian navy.

15

(1935:II:27 ff.) interpreted the finds as a colonnaded stoa. Another interpretation suggests that it could have been a port facility (Finkelstein, 1978). This latter interpretation takes it for granted that the sea line had not changed in 2000 years. Since, however, geologists do not yet agree on this point, the interpretation of this structure as a port device cannot be substantiated. E. Stern holds that it was a temple, and he contends that other temples should be found at this site (Stern,1972). Since the temple was close to the sea archeologists suggested that it was dedicated to Pos�idon. On the basis of this suggestion, they identify the worshippers as Greeks. The excavations of J. Leibowitz were carried out at the northern section of the site, on an adjoining rnound. Since his finds consisted of a theater of the Rornan period, it falls outside our scope here. The excavation of E. Stern is being carried out at the eastern part of the mound, but since it has not yet reached its conclusion, observations must be based only on the prelirninary reports rnade available thus far [4].

The excavations have revealed that the city was planned and built according to Hippodamean design: i.e., a network of streets intersecting at right angles, with a division into explicit quarters according to function. This c�ty plan_was found to be •applicable as early as the Persian period. Temples were probably located in the western part of the city, while public buildings such as the ag�ra and _thea�er were located in the northern section of the ci�y. Residential quarters were divided into blocks with a traverse network of streets.

Unearthed near the city wall were 200 m. of residential Along the inner face of the city buildings - see fig. S. wall stood a long row of stores and workshops. One of these contained a thick layer of crushed murex shells, indicating a local dye industry. The street there w�s � m. wide a�d �ad the elaborate facade of a residential building. The building 20 m. wide and was lined by buildings which had a was comparably well-finished facade facing the western and the eastern streets - see fig. 2. This long building was divided into apartrnents and rooms. It appears that it rose to a height of two to three stories. Three successive layers were unearthed. The earliest one dates from the third century 14

B.C.E . . The pattern seems to be Hippodamean, although the details, such as ashlar piers constructed within field stone walls, are Phoenician structural elements. The excavated street led to the city gate. which contained two external towers and two large flanking rooms.

The inhabitants of Dor during the Hellenistic period had taken great pains to fortify their city. A strong and thick surrounded the city. The wall was built with large wall slabs (1 by 0.5 m.) according to the headers technique, This wall was familiar to us from Phoenician cities. preserved in sorne parts as high as 3 rneters. Three.square-shaped towers were built SO m. apart. One of the towers had a central pillar of stones which indicated interior wooden steps around the pillar. This and the watchtower at Tell Zeror are the earliest spiral staircases known, and may be identified with the ���i�� (Hebrew: "turn around'') rnentioned in the Temple Scroll (Magen,1984) - see figs. 2,4,20. This wall was dated to the end of the Ptolemaic period on the basis of a coin of Ptolemy II found in its lower level. It is assurned that during the conquest of Antiochus III this wall and its towers were still in use. Outside the city wall, to the southeast of the city, sorne rernnants of a temple were found [SJ. It appears that this temple was located at a small area carved out of the rock and was in service until the fourth century C.E.. At this time it was converted into a church and, as a result, the original plan of the temple was almost entirely altered. The rernains of the harbor were surveyed by E. Linder and A. Raban of Haifa University and were found to be similar to those of other Phoenician ports of the Persian period. It seerns that sorne of the ports (including Dor) were built along the coast of Palestine slightly prior to the conquest of Alexander, presumably during the time the Phoenician fleet was the main body in the Persian navy.

15

Ptolemais/Accho is situated at the edge of the northern end of Haifa Bay and on the border of a fertile valley bearing its name. Accho is a good example of a harbor town, with excellent port facilities and a large fertile valley in the hinterland. The valley was neither too large to allow rival towns to threaten its supremacy, nor too small to lack a sufficient economic base. The hinterland of Ptolemais/Accho can most probably be identified by the borders of its district, which were well established by the first century e.E. and were described by Josephus. According to him, it extended from "the Carmel to Tyre and from the sea to the mountains" (�,nt. II, 2: (188). Avi-Yonah doubted the accuracy of this definition, on the basis of the Mishna, which regarded Achziv (Ekdippa, Ecdippa) as the northern border of Eretz Israel, and hence the border of the northern hinterland of the district of Ptolemaic (Avi­ Yonah 1949:146). Situated on the termini of major routes, Ptolemais/Accho developed an international co.mercial character and thus became one of the main cities in Palestine. The north-south Via Maris passed through the city, and three routes connected the city with the eastern hinterland - see fig. 6. The first led through Tel Birah to Damascus via the upper Galilee. The second route led through Tel Keisan to the King's Highway via the Lower Galilee, · while the third led southeast to the Jezreel valley. The density of ancient sites in the plain of Accho, as seen in fig. 6, further illustrates the importance of the region. The richness of this plain, particularly in grain, is instances sorne In Papyri. Zenon the in recorded Ptolemais/Accho exported grain to Egypt, particularly in times of drought. Archaeological remains present a similar picture. The Na'aman river generated at least three groups of water mills (Avi-Tsur 1973). Another cluster of water mills were found at Danon, several kilometers to the northeast of Accho, and at Shefara'am, several kilometers to the southeast of Accho. These watermil}s, which most likely date from the Hellenistic period, were still in use up to the 19th century and were recorded by Napoleon's 1799 expedition (Gichon 1965:157). Although we possess a vast amount of historical material pertaining to Ptolemais/Accho that dates from the classical period, none describes Ptolemais in a manner which will permit us to reconstruct its urban pattern to the same degree 16

that we are able with the medieval town [6]. We find documentation on several temples dedicated to Zeus, Tyche, Nemesis, Artemis, Hadad, Atargatis, Pluto and Persephone, Sarapia and Cybele; a gymnasium built by Herod and a bath named Aphrodite. During this period Ptolemais/Accho also had a great annual fair (Avi-Yonah 1976:89). Hellenistic of discoveries archeological The comprehensive have not yet revealed a Ptolemais/Accho picture. The excavations include sorne walls (which appear to be the city walls), fortifications, a Hellenistic temple and sorne buildings which appear to be the Hellenistic agora, as well as the harbor facilities.

Medieval Accho/Acre is a city for which a considerably large number of mapa were made throughout the Middle Ages. These maps, the earliest dating from the 8th century, present sorne affinities to the Greek plan which may have been derived from Hellenistic urban planning. In contrast to medieval cities in the Near East, the town plan of medieval Acre shows a great sense of design. A rnajor street runs through the town frorn the port to the main gate of the city, and the street network appears to run parallel throughout - see fig. ·11. This design is different in concept from that of medieval Islamic city which is, as a rule, regarded as an "organic disorder". Acre did not consist of narrow curved streets and dead - end lanes so typical of Islamic medieval cities. Could this apparently "Hippodamean" patte�n have originated as early as the Hellenistic period? Very probably yes. Unlike many other cities, Ptolemais/Accho was not destroyed at the end of the Hellenistic period. Since Hausmanism, i.e. the razing of a sett�ement to the ground in order to reshape a new city, was not in practice before the rnodern period, it is reasonable to believe that the medieval town plannin� of Acre descended directly from the Hellenistic period.

----- ---- --- --------------

Ih! H!ll!nistic Wall and fortification:

Very little has been excavated of the Hellenistic city wall i·tself . An attempt to put all the reported fragments of the city wall on one map has revealed that Ptolemais/Accho was not surrounded by a tetragonal wall as was once believed; rather, the western section of the city seerns. to extend further to the north and to follow the circuit of the medieval town - see fig'. 7. Segmenta of city wall were discovered in different sections by z. Goldman (EAEHL s.v. Accho). Remains of two 17

Ptolemais/Accho is situated at the edge of the northern end of Haifa Bay and on the border of a fertile valley bearing its name. Accho is a good example of a harbor town, with excellent port facilities and a large fertile valley in the hinterland. The valley was neither too large to allow rival towns to threaten its supremacy, nor too small to lack a sufficient economic base. The hinterland of Ptolemais/Accho can most probably be identified by the borders of its district, which were well established by the first century e.E. and were described by Josephus. According to him, it extended from "the Carmel to Tyre and from the sea to the mountains" (�,nt. II, 2: (188). Avi-Yonah doubted the accuracy of this definition, on the basis of the Mishna, which regarded Achziv (Ekdippa, Ecdippa) as the northern border of Eretz Israel, and hence the border of the northern hinterland of the district of Ptolemaic (Avi­ Yonah 1949:146). Situated on the termini of major routes, Ptolemais/Accho developed an international co.mercial character and thus became one of the main cities in Palestine. The north-south Via Maris passed through the city, and three routes connected the city with the eastern hinterland - see fig. 6. The first led through Tel Birah to Damascus via the upper Galilee. The second route led through Tel Keisan to the King's Highway via the Lower Galilee, · while the third led southeast to the Jezreel valley. The density of ancient sites in the plain of Accho, as seen in fig. 6, further illustrates the importance of the region. The richness of this plain, particularly in grain, is instances sorne In Papyri. Zenon the in recorded Ptolemais/Accho exported grain to Egypt, particularly in times of drought. Archaeological remains present a similar picture. The Na'aman river generated at least three groups of water mills (Avi-Tsur 1973). Another cluster of water mills were found at Danon, several kilometers to the northeast of Accho, and at Shefara'am, several kilometers to the southeast of Accho. These watermil}s, which most likely date from the Hellenistic period, were still in use up to the 19th century and were recorded by Napoleon's 1799 expedition (Gichon 1965:157). Although we possess a vast amount of historical material pertaining to Ptolemais/Accho that dates from the classical period, none describes Ptolemais in a manner which will permit us to reconstruct its urban pattern to the same degree 16

that we are able with the medieval town [6]. We find documentation on several temples dedicated to Zeus, Tyche, Nemesis, Artemis, Hadad, Atargatis, Pluto and Persephone, Sarapia and Cybele; a gymnasium built by Herod and a bath named Aphrodite. During this period Ptolemais/Accho also had a great annual fair (Avi-Yonah 1976:89). Hellenistic of discoveries archeological The comprehensive have not yet revealed a Ptolemais/Accho picture. The excavations include sorne walls (which appear to be the city walls), fortifications, a Hellenistic temple and sorne buildings which appear to be the Hellenistic agora, as well as the harbor facilities.

Medieval Accho/Acre is a city for which a considerably large number of mapa were made throughout the Middle Ages. These maps, the earliest dating from the 8th century, present sorne affinities to the Greek plan which may have been derived from Hellenistic urban planning. In contrast to medieval cities in the Near East, the town plan of medieval Acre shows a great sense of design. A rnajor street runs through the town frorn the port to the main gate of the city, and the street network appears to run parallel throughout - see fig. ·11. This design is different in concept from that of medieval Islamic city which is, as a rule, regarded as an "organic disorder". Acre did not consist of narrow curved streets and dead - end lanes so typical of Islamic medieval cities. Could this apparently "Hippodamean" patte�n have originated as early as the Hellenistic period? Very probably yes. Unlike many other cities, Ptolemais/Accho was not destroyed at the end of the Hellenistic period. Since Hausmanism, i.e. the razing of a sett�ement to the ground in order to reshape a new city, was not in practice before the rnodern period, it is reasonable to believe that the medieval town plannin� of Acre descended directly from the Hellenistic period.

----- ---- --- --------------

Ih! H!ll!nistic Wall and fortification:

Very little has been excavated of the Hellenistic city wall i·tself . An attempt to put all the reported fragments of the city wall on one map has revealed that Ptolemais/Accho was not surrounded by a tetragonal wall as was once believed; rather, the western section of the city seerns. to extend further to the north and to follow the circuit of the medieval town - see fig'. 7. Segmenta of city wall were discovered in different sections by z. Goldman (EAEHL s.v. Accho). Remains of two 17

parallel walls were found in the northwestern quarter of the city - see fig. 7 #1. A rather thick fragment was discovered in the middle of the northern section of the city. This section was reportedly 3-5 m. thick and ran north-south. Nothing has been reported about the method of its construction or its precise date - see fig. 7#2. Another part of the wall was found in an antitank ditch east of the Accho Naharia highway. A more extensive discovery was made in 1974 by M. Dothan (Dothan 1976:71-74) - see see fig. 7#4 and fig. 8. Two systerns of fortification were discovered; the first one included two walls with a width of 2.5 rn. i.e., less thick than the walls reported previously, and which met at right angles; the second consisted of remnants of what appears to have been a round tower. One of the southwest walls was exposed to 22 m., while the traverse wall was exposed to 7 m .. The walls are built of ��E��E a type of hard sand stone, which were laid in headers with 'dry' construction (i.e., without use of mortar}. In addition, sorne later repairs were made in the headers and stretchers technique. The walls were preserved up to four cc,urses in sorne parts. The lower three courses served as the foundation and projected outward from the wall. In the corner of the two walls a cluster of third century pottery was found, which dates, presurnably, to the last phases of the wall. A round tower was found within the city wall, but not incorporated into it. Its diameter was calculated to be 20 m., of which only 10 m. were unearthed. The foundations of the tower were 5 rn. thick, and built in courses of headers (3 stones per course), while the core of the tower was filled with sand. Since finds, including 100 bronze arrow heads and 12 catapult leadshots, were discovered on a floor near the tower, the excavator assumed that a barracks would also have been located close to the· tower. Dothan indicates that the precise role of these walls and the tower in the fortification systern of Ptolemais/Accho cannot be determined as yet. The walls differ in their construction and width from those reported at areas #1,2,3. However, both the technique and width are reminiscent of the walls of Dor and Samaria. Dothan suggests that the eastern wall of the city was near this defense system, and that its function was to "scout towards the southeast and to reinforce the city wall against assaults coming frorn the southeast plain" (Dothan 1976:7174). It must be noted that this was the natural zone of assault from the land, since the north was marshland [7J.

18

Ib! H!!l!D!!1!2 1!mel! !D2 eye!!s 2Y!l2!DS!�

A small Hellenistic temple carne to light in 1959 when s. Appelbaurn, on behalf of the Department of Antiquities of Isr�el, excavated at the building site of the new post office. Before the excavation a complete Greek inscription had �een found �edicated to "Zeus Soter" on behalf of I