Explorable historical aspects

The Canaanites date back to around 3,600 B.C.E (Before Common Era) in the Holy Land. Canaan, a  prosperous and well developed region, stretched along the Eastern Mediterranean coast – from northern Israel to the central coast of Syria. The Canaanites were conquered by the Persians in 540 B.C.E.

Archaeological remains: Tel Gezer – Rafa’im Stream – Tel Hazor – Tel Megiddo.

The Israelites first appear during the early Iron Age in 1,200 B.C.E. They inhabited a part of Canaan until 1,000 B.C.E., when they emerged as a local power among the tribes of the land. By 800 B.C.E., the Neo-Assyrian Empire conquered most of their tribes, and in 586 B.C.E, they were exiled following the destruction of their temple by the Babylonians.

Archaeological remains: Tel Dan – Ancient Shiloh – Gibeah – Jerusalem (Old City)

Babylon, originally a small town in the Akkadian Empire,rapidly developed between 1792 and 1752 B.C.E., forming an Empire under King Hammurabi. After a war with Assyria and Egypt, the Babylonians subsequently invaded Jerusalem, destroying the Israelite Temple in 586 B.C.E and creating the province of Yehud Medinata. The rise of Cyrus the Great put an end to Babylonia, as the Persian Emperor conquered it in 539 B.C.E

Archaeological remains: Tel Lachish – Jerusalem City of David

The Persians originally date back to 1,000 B.C.E., but they truly came to power with the successful rebellion against the Medes, people of Media in present date northern Iran, under Cyrus the Great in 553 B.C.E. By conquering Babylon in 539 B.C.E, the Persians took the province Yehud Medinata in Jerusalem.

Archaeological remains: Jerusalem

During the Hellenistic period, following the death of Alexander the Great in 322 B.C.E., the land of Judea was divided between two powers: the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt and the Seleucid Empire.Judea became a frontline for many conflicts and tensions of the Syrian Wars – a series of six wars between the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C.E. The Hellenistic kingdoms expanded from Central Asia to Egypt and Greece, inevitably leaving their marks in the Holy Land. They began to diminish after 31 B.C.E., following the emergence of the Roman Empire.

Archaeological remains: Jerusalem Old City – City of David

The Roman Empire began circa 100 B.C.E. Rome was the largest, fastest growing city in the world. During the quest to incorporate the Holy Land into the Roman Empire, the Romans faced repeated conflicts and wars between 6 C.E. (Common Era) and 135 C.E. Considering the immense expansion of the Empire, the Romans faced enemies on all its borders, resulting in numerous victories and defeats, many ruins can be found across the region.

Archaeological remains: Jerusalem – Tiberius – Caesarea Maritima (Haifa) – Gamla – Beit She’an – Sea of Galilee – Nazareth

The Byzantine Empire, founded by Constantine the Great in the 5th century, was the successor of the Roman Empire in the East. While the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 C.E, the Byzantine Empire in the East lasted another 1,000 years. In 1453, it fell to the Ottoman Turks. Compared to the “previous” Roman Empire, the Byzantines did not have as much involvement in the Holy Land. However, there are several remains throughout the region still present today.

Archaeological remains: Bet Shemesh – Jerusalem Old City – Bet She’an

The Crusaders appeared in 1095, during the weakening of the Byzantine Empire and the rise of the Islamic Power in the Middle East. To prevent loss of territories, Western Christians of Europe were called upon to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims. The final Crusade was defeated by the Mamluks in 1291, marking the end of the Crusaders. As a result of the Crusaders’ centuries long presence, many remnants of the period can be found across the Holy Land.

Archaeological remains: Jerusalem – Golan Heights – Jaffa – Tiberius – Galilee – Herzliya

The Mamluks were a military caste, under the order of the Mamluk Sultans of Egypt and Syria, that ruled Egypt from 1250 to 1517, and Greater Syria (including Palestine) from 1260 to 1516. They played a significant role in driving out the Ninth Crusade from the Holy Land during and after the battle of Ain Jalut (South Eastern Galilee) in 1260. The Ninth Ottoman Sultan, Selim the First, brought the end of the Mamluks in 1517 by conquering Egypt.

Archaeological remains: Netanya – Jerusalem – Caesarea (Arsuf)

The Ottoman Empire rose to power and dominance right after the fall of the Mamluks in 1517. After several battles, the Ottomans swiftly took over prominent areas like Jerusalem, Nablus, Safad, and Gaza. They remained in firm control of the majority of the Holy Land until 1917, when they were defeated by the British.

Archaeological remains: Acre – Jerusalem – Caesarea Maritima – Upper Galilee