Gaza: A City of Many Battles (from the Family of Noah to the Present Day) — John Shaqi
Gaza: A City of Many Battles (from the Family of Noah to the Present Day)Dowling, Theodore Edward
History
Gaza: A City of Many Battles (from the Family of Noah to the Present Day)
Dowling, Theodore Edward
Gaza
At a short distance from Mayoumas, the maritime quarter of Gaza, on the
north-west side, are the ruins of Thedah (or Tedûn) the site of the
ancient Hellenistic town of Anthedon, lately discovered by Père Gatt.
Alexander Jannæus took it along with Gaza. In company with Dr. Sterling
I visited this spot, enveloped in sand, on April 18, where we found
broken pieces of marble, ornamented glazed pottery, and ancient glass
scattered in every direction. Excavations for hewn stone have not been
infrequent here.
Augustus gave this port to Herod the Great, who rebuilt it, and changed
its name into that of Agrippeion, after his friend Marcus Agrippa.
Anthedon was an early archiepiscopal see, in Palestina Prima, and I am
familiar with the few specimens of its coinage during the reigns of
Elagabalus (A.D. 218-222), and Alexander Severus (A.D. 222-235). Since
the days of the Muslim occupation there is no mention of this town,
and its name does not appear in Holy Writ.
Among the Hellenistic towns in Schürer's _The Jewish People in the Time
of Jesus Christ_, Division II, vol. i, pp. 72-3, there is additional
information on Anthedon, (Ἀνθηδών).[1]
On the following afternoon I visited Djebel el-Mountâr, a hill, two
hundred and seventy feet high, about two miles from the city towards
the south-east. It is the "hill that is before Hebron" (Judges xvi.
3) to which Samson carried during the night one of the gates of the
city. He did not carry the gate as far as Hebron, which is upwards of
twelve hours' ride, but he went in the direction of Hebron. It was a
superhuman feat to tear away the gate posts, and carry them across to
the top of a neighbouring hill.
It is interesting to compare Josephus' account of this episode with
that of the sacred historian. In his _Antiquities_, Book V, section 10,
Whiston's edition, the following passage occurs--
"Samson held the Philistines in contempt, and came to Gaza, and took up
his lodgings in a certain inn. When the rulers of Gaza were informed of
his coming hither, they seized upon the gates, and placed men in ambush
about them, that he might not escape without being perceived; but
Samson, who was acquainted with their contrivances against him, arose
about midnight, and ran by force upon the gates, with their posts and
beams, and the rest of their wooden furniture, and carried them away on
his shoulders, and bore them to the mountain that is over Hebron, and
there laid them down."[2]
The hill is covered with Muslim tombs, and over-topped by a Weli,
dedicated to Aly-el-Mountâr--"Aly the Tower of Defence." Marnas was
originally worshipped here.
The extensive view well repays the ascent, for on a clear day the
mountains of Hebron may be seen. The sea is visible. There is a fine
view of Gaza, and the extensive plain is under cultivation. Due south
on the coast is the site Deir el-Belah (Convent of Dates), where the
body of St. Hilarion was said to be finally buried.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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