PHILISTIA (PALESTINE), Gaza
Circa 353-333 BCE
AR Drachm 14mm, 3.94 g, 12h
Imitating Athens pi-style coinage. Helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye and pi-style palmette, Aramaic M horizonally on cheek (only traces visible) / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent to left.
Gitler & Tal V.25D; HGC 10, 542

Gaza is actually one of the oldest settlements on Earth. Someone has lived there for at least 5000 years and records stretch back to 1500 years that mention this city that’s long been on the boundary between Asia and Africa.

Pretty much every one of its neighbors has occupied it at one point or another and the city was already ancient when Alexander the Great ordered it to surrender. It’s king, Batis, wasn’t fond of that idea, so Alexander embarked on a particularly blood siege, at the end of which Batis was dragged by a chariot and every inhabitant was either killed or sold into slavery. Alexander then repopulated it with bedouins.

The city also took front and center with the Battle of Gaza, which pitted Ptolemy I Soter against Demetrios I Poliorketes. Ptolemy won that battle, though Demetrios later achieved a huge victory at Salamis. Still, Ptolemy’s victory prevented Demetrios and Antigonos from overrunning Egypt.

Later, Gaza was nearly annihilated by Alexander Jannaeus, after which it came under Roman control and was rebuilt by them.

Gaza coins from the Persian occupation up to its destruction by Alexander the Great are identifiable from the Aramaic ‘m’ on designs that mimic the famous Athenian owl coinage. Today, we don’t know exactly what ‘m’ stood for, but it may be for ‘Marna’, who was their chief deity.

3300 BCE

Foundation of Tell es-Sakan, which later became known as Gaza.

2500 BCE

Local Canaanite population resettles Tell as-Sakan, later known as Gaza.

2250 BCE

Total collapse of civilization at Gaza.

1650 BCE

A new city is built at Tell as-Sakan, later known as Gaza.

1550 BCE

Tell as-Sakan, later known as Gaza, is destroyed as Hyksos of Egypt is routed. The area comes under Egyptian rule.

1175 BCE

Gaza is occupied by Philistines and is no longer under Egyptian control.

990 BCE

The Israelites under King David occupy Gaza.

930 BCE

The United Monarchy of the Israelites splits and Gaza becomes part of the Kingdom of Judah.

730 BCE

Canaan is conquered by Tiglath-Pileser III and Gaza comes under Assyrian rule.

601 BCE

The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II is defeated by Egyptians near Gaza.

568 BCE

Nebuchadnezzar II again attempts to take Egypt and fails, but does conquer Gaza.

529 BCE

The Persian king Cambyses I is unsuccessful in his attempt to take Gaza.

332 BCE

Alexander the Great besieges Gaza for five months before finally taking it. He is badly wounded in the head during the encounter. He resettles the city with Bedouins.

323 BCE
June 30

Partition of Babylon. Abydos and Adramytteion come under control of Leonnatos. Egypt with Alexandria and Gaza are under Ptolemy. Baktria comes under Seleukos I Nikator.

312 BCE

Antigonos‘s son, Demetrios I suffers a major defeat at the Battle of Gaza against Ptolemy I and Seleukos I.

96 BCE

Alexander Jannaios besieges Gaza for a year, then kills all the inhabitants and destroys it.

63 BCE

Gaza incorporated into the Roman Empire and rebuilt by Aulus Gabinius.

30 BCE

Gaza is given to Herod I by Augustus.

4 BCE

Herod the Great dies, and his kingdom is divided among his sons. Idumea becomes part of the Tetrarchy of Judea, under the control of Herod’s son Archelaus. Gaza becomes part of Syria.

66 CE

Gaza is burned by Jews during the rebellion against Rome.

67 CE

Titus passes through Gaza and his way to and from Jerusalem to quell the rebellion. The city is used to sell the resulting slaves.