The Empire of King David?

[Jim Webster]

Not really my period so I cannot vouch for it but looks interesting

http://hebrewnations.com/articles/16/galil.html

Prof. Gershon Galil: The History of King David in Light of New Epigraphic and Archeological Data Press Release - Media Relations University of Haifa
Kislev 23, 5775
The History of King David in Light of New Epigraphic and Archeological Data In two articles recently published in leading journals (Ugarit Forschungen and Semitica), Prof. Gershon Galil of the University of Haifa (Department of Biblical Studies) presented important information about the period of David's reign, based on new archaeological and epigraphic data unearthed in northwestern Syria and southern Turkey. Prof. Galil points out that King David halted the Arameans' expansion into the Land of Israel on account of his alliance with the southern Philistine kings, as well as with Toi, king of Hamath, who is identified with Tai(ta) II, king of Palistin (the northern Sea Peoples).
"The Empire of David is a realistic historical phenomenon and the biblical description of its formation and consolidation is possible and reasonable," says Prof. Galil. "It reflects the great struggle between the Arameans and the Sea Peoples for the inheritance of the territories, which were previously part of the Egyptian and the Hittite Empires. David took advantage of these conflicts to unite the northern and the southern Sea Peoples against the mutual enemy, Hadadezer king of Aram-Zobah. David defeated the Arameans and created a regional empire from the Sinai Peninsula to the Euphrates."
Eight inscriptions recently discovered at different sites clearly indicate that a large kingdom named Palistin existed in northwestern Syria and southern Turkey. It encompassed the cities Hamath, Aleppo and Carchemish, Prof. Galil says.
This kingdom was inhabited by different groups including Sea Peoples. They invaded the Levant in the 12th century BC, conquered vast areas, destroyed kingdoms and took over their lands.
The inscriptions of Ramesses III, king of Egypt (1182-1151 BC), indicate that he conquered cities in northern Syria and seized control of 'the lands of Plst.' However, hitherto there was no evidence that Philistines had lived in northern Syria, so scholars assumed that the Egyptian scribes exaggerated, describing places which didn't really exist, Prof. Galil explains.
'The discovery of the northern kingdom of Palistin helps us understand the Egyptian inscriptions and the reality of northwestern Syria in those distant days.'
Prof. Galil adds that a few inscriptions form a direct link between the archeological and epigraphic data unearthed in northern Palistin and the Bible: Some open with the words 'I am Tai(ta) the Hero, King of Palistin." Given our philological and historical knowledge, it's clear that Tai(ta) should be identified with Toi, mentioned in the Book of Samuel and in Chronicles," he says. The alliance between David and Toi, king of Hamath, against Hadadezer, king of Zobah, is clearly attested in the Bible," says Prof. Galil, "We know for sure now that Toi of Hamath existed, and that he was indeed a historical figure. The biblical text in the Book of Samuel is therefore well supported by the historical reality of the 10th century BC."
He stresses in particular II Samuel 8:10:
"When Toi, king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, he sent his son Joram to King David, to greet him and to congratulate him on defeating Hadadezer in battle --- for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi".
Prof. Galil thus proposes the following scenario. Relations between David and the southern Philistines (particularly the people of Philistine Gath) were close during David's reign in Hebron. But after the unification of Israel and Judah, a war broke out between the Philistines and David, as described in the Bible. At this stage the Arameans advance led by Hadadezer king of Zobah, results in an alliance between David and Toi king of Hamath, in the sense of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.'
The alliance between David and the northern Philistines ultimately leads to a pact with the southern Philistines as well, since they too were threatened by the Arameans. With their joint forces, the Israelites and the Philistines defeated the Arameans and seized their lands. Prof. Galil notes that the close relationship between David and the Philistines is also demonstrated by the fact that during Absalom's rebellion, all Israelites rebelled against David. Only a few people supported him, primarily Philistine fighters:
David's royal garrison, consisting mainly of Philistines known as "the Cherethites and the Pelethites"; and Itai of Gath, who came to David's aid from Philistine Gath with 600 soldiers. After his great victory over the Arameans, achieved with the help of his allies, David established an empire from the Sinai Peninsula to the Euphrates (see map).
After the victory of David king of Israel, over the Arameans, David controlled the entire area from the Sinai Peninsula to the Euphrates.

IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Arab-Israeli relations Website: www.imra.org.il

[Patrick Waterson]

David's empire has been under fire these past few decades, but this should help to put it back in place.

The curious kingdom of 'Palistin' is based on a Luwiyan reading that is equally rendered 'Walistin'.

"The reading of Palistin is still under debate, the Shaizar and Mhardeh inscriptions preserve the ethnicon Walistin, There is no clear explanation for the alternation between WA in the Shaizar and Mhardeh inscriptions and PA in the Aleppo inscriptions. According to Hittitologist Trevor Bryce, the connection between the biblical Philistines and the kingdom of Palistin remains a hypothesis and further excavations are needed to establish such a connection." - Wikipedia 'Palistin' article.

Taita as Tor seems to be undisputed, though.

Just by the by, Ramses III almost certainly wrote 'P-r-s-t' not 'P-l-s-t'.  The Egyptian crouching lion character can be read as 'l' or 'r', but 'l' is extraordinarily rare.  The terminal 't' in Egyptian was usually unvoiced, and usually seems to represent association with the female gender.  Ramses tells us he took cities from the P-r-s, whoever they were.

[Jim Webster]

It's not my period, up until this point I'd never even heard of the Northern Philistines 

But I did find it intriguing,
there's a wargames campaign in there 

Jim

[Andreas Johansson]

Just by the by, Ramses III almost certainly wrote 'P-r-s-t' not 'P-l-s-t'.  The Egyptian crouching lion character can be read as 'l' or 'r', but 'l' is extraordinarily rare.  The terminal 't' in Egyptian was usually unvoiced, and usually seems to represent association with the female gender.  Ramses tells us he took cities from the P-r-s, whoever they were.

But said character was often used to render Semitic 'l', perhaps because Egyptians struggled to hear the difference. If these are Philistines, "prst" is about how we'd expect Egyptians to render the name.

[Sharur]

there's a wargames campaign in there 

What, you mean like that suggested in Slingshot 287, pp.19-21? 

[Jim Webster]

Did that cover the area as far north?
Jim

[Patrick Waterson]

Just by the by, Ramses III almost certainly wrote 'P-r-s-t' not 'P-l-s-t'.  The Egyptian crouching lion character can be read as 'l' or 'r', but 'l' is extraordinarily rare.  The terminal 't' in Egyptian was usually unvoiced, and usually seems to represent association with the female gender.  Ramses tells us he took cities from the P-r-s, whoever they were.

But said character was often used to render Semitic 'l', perhaps because Egyptians struggled to hear the difference. If these are Philistines, "prst" is about how we'd expect Egyptians to render the name.

Although 'Philistines' should be rendered more like 'f-r-s-(t)-n' than 'p-r-s-(t)'.  We should see the horned snake character, not the square, as the first sign in the name.

[Duncan Head]

Although 'Philistines' should be rendered more like 'f-r-s-(t)-n' than 'p-r-s-(t)'.

That assumes we know how "Philistine" was anciently pronounced. It did ultimately give us both Latin "Palaestina" and Arabic "Filasṭīn", so there may be some ambiguity in that first consonant.

[Andreas Johansson]

Although 'Philistines' should be rendered more like 'f-r-s-(t)-n' than 'p-r-s-(t)'.

That assumes we know how "Philistine" was anciently pronounced. It did ultimately give us both Latin "Palaestina" and Arabic "Filasṭīn", so there may be some ambiguity in that first consonant.

Arabic turned all p's to f's at some point. Hebrew, which keeps common Semitic p in initial position, has "Plištim".

Greek has initial phi, but this was probably still an aspirated p when the Septuagint was written.

[Patrick Waterson]

Arabic turned all p's to f's at some point. Hebrew, which keeps common Semitic p in initial position, has "Plištim".

Greek has initial phi, but this was probably still an aspirated p when the Septuagint was written.

I can see the logic in that.  There is however another problem, in that Egyptians seem to have customarily referred to Palestine as 'Hurru' (h-r-w) or 'Khor', as in the Merneptah Stele.

Conversely, Persia was referred to as P-r-s-t, as in the Canopus Decree of Ptolemy III Euergetes.

"They took care of the statues of the gods, which had been robbed by the barbarians of the land Persia [P-r-s-tt] from temples of Egypt, since His Majesty had won them back in his campaign against the two lands of Asia, he brought them to Egypt, and placed them on their places in the temples, where they had previously stood."

We also find reference to a monotheistic people called P-r-s in the Boghazkeui archives.  These do not appear to be Philistines.

[Sharur]

Did that cover the area as far north?

You mean you don't ordinarily read and remember every word in Slingshot? 

But yes it did. The map was in issue 286, p.16.