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A wide-area economic bloc of Philistine and Judah in the seventh century B.C.

정중호 1

1계명대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to find out the actual trading reality of the Philistine and Judah who maintained a relatively peaceful relationship in the 7th century B.C. as a part of international trade networks of Assyrian Empire. When viewing the geopolitical location, Judah had a special role in the hinterland of the Philistine port cities. In particular, in the 7th century B.C., Judah and Philistia formed a wide-area economic and trade bloc. Assyria used a variety of special measures to activate its network of international trade in the Mediterranean area. Assyria constructed karu, an international trade center, and installed qepu, Assyrian officials who were stationed in the area. And so even though Philistine cities revolted, Assyria appointed the leaders again as an exceptional action for considering international trade at the area. Assyria appointed a prince who were educated in Assyria as a king. In addition, Sennacherib rearranged territorial boundaries between Judah and Philistia for the balance of power. Judah and Philistine formed and developed a wide-area economic bloc under the umbrella of the economic policies of the Assyrian empire. In the wide-area economic bloc Ashkelon and Ekron acted important roles. Ekron was the famous center of olive oil industry and Ashkelon was the most important port city for maritime and land trade. Ashkelon did maritime trade with areas of the Phoenician, Greece and Cyprus. Such information could be confirmed through Petrographic analysis. In the midst of Ashkelon's various trading goods, wine was the most important flagship. Judah was the main grain exporter in the 7th century B.C.. Grain was exported to Ashkelon. In the areas of the Negev, east Jerusalem, and foothills of Samaria, grain was produced more and part of those agricultural products were exported to Ashkelon Population of the Negev region was increased while simultaneously strengthening the administrative force, which formed an environment for thriving trading activity. The incense road was crossed by the Negev region and provided incense to Judah and Philistine.

Citation status

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