week 8 - Peoples of the Levant and Anatolia: Canaanites, Phoenicians, Israelites, Philistines, and Hittites

Question 1

What regions are included in the Levant?

Answer 1

Most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Cyprus, Hatay Province of Turkey, parts of Iraq, and Sinai Peninsula.

Question 2

What does the term “Anatolia” refer to?

Answer 2

Anatolia refers to modern Turkey.

Question 3

What are the historical periods of the Canaanites?

Answer 3

Prehistoric/Chalcolithic (before 3500 BCE), Early Bronze Age (3500-2000 BCE), Middle Bronze Age (2000-1550 BCE), Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 BCE), Iron Age (1200-586 BCE), and subsequent periods under Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans

Question 4

Who was the principal god in the Canaanite pantheon?

Answer 4

El, also known as Ilu.

Question 5

What major city was considered the “capital” of Canaan?

Answer 5

Hazor.

Question 6

What invention is attributed to the Phoenicians and had a significant impact on later civilizations?

Answer 6

The alphabet.

Question 7

What was Byblos known for in relation to Egypt?

Answer 7

Byblos was known for its trade with Egypt, particularly in the famous “Cedars of Lebanon,” and it had close relations with Egypt during the Old and New Kingdom periods.

Question 8

What is the significance of the Ahiram Inscription?

Answer 8

It is an early example of the Phoenician alphabet, found on the sarcophagus of Ahiram, King of Byblos, dating to around 1000 BCE.

Question 9

Who led the Israelites out of Egypt according to their tradition?

Answer 9

Moses.

Question 10

What evidence outside the Bible confirms the existence of Israel in the late 13th century BCE?

Answer 10

The Merneptah Stela, which mentions “Israel is laid waste and his seed is not.”

Question 11

What was the geopolitical significance of Philistia?

Answer 11

Philistia was located on the southern coast of Palestine and had important cities such as Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza.

Question 12

What major battle involving the Canaanites took place around 1457 BCE?

Answer 12

The Battle of Megiddo, where Thutmose III of Egypt defeated the Canaanite forces.

Question 13

What language did the Philistines originally speak and what language did they adopt later?

Answer 13

They originally spoke Mycenaean (Greek) and later adopted Phoenician.

Question 14

What was the main cultural transformation of the Philistines in the Iron Age II (10th to 7th centuries BCE)?

Answer 14

Philistine culture became more acculturated to local Levantine culture, although it retained distinct elements.

Question 15

What is the significance of the Hittite capital, Hattusa?

Answer 15

Hattusa was a major city with elaborate fortifications and administrative buildings, and it was the center of the Hittite Empire.

Question 16

What major treaty is associated with the Hittites and Egyptians?

Answer 16

The Kadesh Peace Treaty, the oldest surviving international treaty, between Ramesses II and Hattusili III.

Question 17

What important cultural practice is attributed to the Philistines based on archaeological evidence?

Answer 17

The distinctive use of round central hearths and the introduction of Aegean-style pottery and architecture.

Question 18

What was a major economic activity in Philistine cities like Ekron?

Answer 18

Olive oil production, with Ekron being one of the largest industrial centers for olive oil in antiquity.

Question 19

What evidence of Philistine burial customs was discovered at Ashkelon?

Answer 19

An Iron Age IIA cemetery with over 200 individuals buried in simple pits, built tombs, and cremation jars.

Question 20

What was the major role of Byblos in Phoenician civilization?

Answer 20

Byblos was a significant trade hub, especially with Egypt, and an early center of Phoenician culture and religion.