Ashkelon and Gezer

[Ged]

The famous Merneptah stele reads, among other things, "Ashkelon is conquered, Gezer seized." These were cities on the south Canaan coast during the Pharaohs, Ramses II and Merneptah.

Ive got 2 questions for any Egyptology people out there.

1. Did they remain under Egyptian jurisdiction or did they just get destroyed and left?
2. Do these place names come up again in Egyptian records?

[Outis]

1. Did they remain under Egyptian jurisdiction or did they just get destroyed and left?
2. Do these place names come up again in Egyptian records?

Ashkelon is a Canaanite city that was under the jurisdiction of the Egyptians during the Amarna period: there are half-a-dozen or so letters from the king of Ashkelon to Akhenaten. I think we even have the name of the king at that time, but I don't remember what the name was right off. I don't remember anything about Gezer in other records.

The Merneptah conquests were not destruction--more like subdual. However, it was only about 50 years later when the Philistines came in: they conquered both cities, but I seem to remember that Gezer became a "mixed population" city, with both Canaanite and Philistine pottery being found. I don't remember reading about a destruction layer, so theis may have been a fairly peaceful "conquest"--the city surrendered, or the Philistines simply became part of the population. Not too sure about the details, as it's been a while since I read anything on this, and I haven't had coffee yet, so my memory isn't working 100%.

[shunyadragon]

Ashkelon is a Canaanite city that was under the jurisdiction of the Egyptians during the Amarna period: there are half-a-dozen or so letters from the king of Ashkelon to Akhenaten. I think we even have the name of the king at that time, but I don't remember what the name was right off. I don't remember anything about Gezer in other records.

The Merneptah conquests were not destruction--more like subdual. However, it was only about 50 years later when the Philistines came in: they conquered both cities, but I seem to remember that Gezer became a "mixed population" city, with both Canaanite and Philistine pottery being found. I don't remember reading about a destruction layer, so theis may have been a fairly peaceful "conquest"--the city surrendered, or the Philistines simply became part of the population. Not too sure about the details, as it's been a while since I read anything on this, and I haven't had coffee yet, so my memory isn't working 100%.

Roughly correct, and leveled and burned by Nebuchadnezzar 604 BC, and conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century, and became a Hellenist Seaport until the Jews took it in ~167 BC , and then the Romans showed up and shut down the revolt.

In its whole history it was an important seaport.