Strength of Purpose: Filling in the Gaps in the Story of the Philistines

It's tough sometimes to shake preconceptions. Those of us brought up in the Christian tradition know well the story of the Philistines, for they were one of the chief antagonists to the rise of ancient Israel. In particular, they had a champion named Goliath who was bested by Israel's young David, in an encounter that still lends itself to comparisons today. Another story that survives to this day was of the Philistine champion Samson, whose legendary strength was undone by the fleecing of the hair off his head.

Goliath and Samson — two pillars of strength, as it were — and yet both were undone by guile — in Goliath's case by a well slung stone from tiny David and in Solomon's case a well thought out plan from the crafty Delilah.

But who were those ancient people? The Jewish and Christian traditions don't give much more detail than that on the Philistines, but they were certainly successful in surviving in the rough-and-tumble world of the ancient Mediterranean.

Gath, the city that archaeologists have unearthed recently, was one of several Philistine settlements that dotted the area after the people arrived from Greece about 1200 B.C. They built towns that turned into some major ports of the area, including one called Gaza.

Results of the dig include shards of jugs, ancient bones, and a large number of stones assembled as buildings and embankments — the latter a big clue that the city was fortified against an invading army. Indeed, the neighboring Arameans succeeded in razing the city in 830 B.C.

The Philistines lasted for a few centuries, until the Babylonian army under King Nebuchadnezzar wiped them off the map. However, as with the Babylonian Captivity, the famed king might have won a temporary victory, but today's diggers are unearthing evidence that paints an ever diverse picture of the Philistines, a picture that has much more than the one dimension mentioned in David's triumph and Samson's defeat.