PHILISTINES

The Philistines were a people from the area of the Aegean Sea who invaded the southern coast of Palestine and threatened the Israelites. This article, after discussing their origin and name, treats of their history, language, culture, and religion.

Origin and Name. In the latter half of the 2d millennium b.c., invading Indo-European tribes forced many people living on the islands and coast of the northeastern Mediterranean out of their original homeland. These displaced people attacked the hittites in Asia Minor and the cities of the North Syrian and Palestinian coast; they finally invaded Egypt in the reign of Ramses III, who defeated them in a land and naval battle fought on the coast (c. 1170 b.c.). When these so-called Peoples of the Sea were forced out of Egypt, one group, the Tsikal, settled in the coastal area of Palestine at the vicinity of Dor (South of Carmel). Another group that are called prst in

the Egyptian records settled along the Palestinian coast south of Dor.

Their Egyptian designation, pronounced approximately pulastu, corresponds to the name p ^elištîm, Philistines, by which they were known to the Israelites. The name Palestine is derived from it. In a short time the Philistines took over the area between Joppe and the Wadi Ghazzeh and formed a pentapolis, a group of "five cities," consisting of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ashdod (later Azotus) on the coast and Gath and Ekron inland. The area was one of the richest tracts of land in Palestine. These independent cities were governed by s ^erānîm (lords), who met in council and could overrule a decision made by an individual "lord" that did not advance the common good (1 Sm 29.1–7). Such ability for concerted action was an important factor in their successful expansion, particularly in the face of the disunited activity of the early Israelites.

History from the Beginnings to David. Early references in the Bible connect the Philistines with this region long before their arrival in the 12th century b.c. Abraham is spoken of as "residing a long time in the land of the Philistines" (Gn 21.34), and Abimelech is named as the king of the Philistines at the time of Abraham (Gn 21.32) and Isaac (Gn 26.1, 8, 18). These references are clearly anachronistic, although based perhaps on some Aegean colony in the Gerar area. The Philistines arrived shortly after the Israelite conquest of the hill country of Palestine and captured the sites of their pentapolis from the Canaanites. The Canaanite population remained as subjects. Apparently the Philistines were well-disciplined soldiers with a strong military tradition, who had a local monopoly on iron, which they used widely in their weapons. Inevitable conflict arose between Israel and the Philistines as the latter expanded into the nearby areas. The first tribe of Israel to feel the force of the Philistines was that of Dan. The elaborated story of the unsuccessful resistance of Samson, as they were pushed out of their holdings on the coastal plain to areas in the far North, is told in Judges ch. 13 to 16 and ch. 18. The Philistines were able to make definite advances also into the hill country of Judah. The Israelites suffered a major defeat c. 1050 b.c. near Aphek and Ebenezer, though they had brought the ark from Shiloh in the hope of stemming the advance of the Philistines by confronting them with the presence of Yahweh. Not only was the army of Israel defeated, but the ark was captured and held by the Philistines, who then spread out through the land (1 Sm 4.1–11). Even the town of Shiloh was captured and the tribal sanctuary destroyed. Although the Philistines did not gain control over all the land (parts of Galilee and the area east of the Jordan were still free), they constituted a grave problem to Israel. This menace was one of the chief reasons for the institution of the Israelite monarchy. The first king of Israel, Saul, had some initial success in stopping the advance of the Philistines (1 Sm 13.1–14.47), but later was decisively beaten and killed in the battle of Gilboa (1 Sm 31.1–10); the Philistines now recouped their recent losses and had Israel at their mercy.

After David, who had been a Philistine vassal in the latter days of Saul, was anointed king, the Philistines attacked his armies in the Valley of Rephaim (near Jerusalem); but David defeated them and drove them back to Gezer (2 Sm 5.17–25). Although the way in which it was effected is not entirely clear, the cities of the Philistine pentapolis were made vassals to King David (2 Sm 8.12), and with this subjugation the Philistine threat to Israel was ended. Subsequently, the Philistines and related peoples (the Cherethi and Pelethi) served as mercenaries in David's army (2 Sm 8.18). From this time on, the history of the Philistines is one of individual cities rather than of a unified people.

Philistia from Solomon to Roman Times. During the reign of Solomon, the Philistines continued as vassal states of Israel, but after his death and the consequent splitting of his kingdom, the Philistine cities, with the exception of Gath, which was controlled by Judah, existed independently and suffered from various encroachments on their territories. In about 815 b.c. the city of Gath was captured by Hazael, King of Damascus, when he invaded Judah (2 Kgs 12.18). Adad-Nirari III of Assyria (811–784 b.c.) forced tribute from the Philistines. Tiglath-Pileser III (745–728) captured both Gaza and Ashkelon in 734. Sargon II (721–705) attacked Gaza and installed his brother as governor of Ashdod. Sennacherib (705–682) also invaded the area and captured several cities, including Ashkelon.

With the fall of the Assyrian Empire, the Philistine cities were beleagured by Egypt. In his turn, nebuchad nezzar of Babylon (605–561) assaulted Ashkelon (604 b.c.) and deported its people and their rulers. During the Persian period the provincial organization centered on Ashdod. Gradually this area became almost completely Hellenized and its people allied themselves with the Syrians against the Jews in the Maccabean wars. Still later they became part of the Roman Empire. In the 2nd century of the Christian Era the southern part of the province of Syria was called "Syria Palestina" and thus the name Palestine became extended to the Holy Land generally.

Language, Culture, and Religion. There are no surviving documents written in the Philistine language, and practically nothing is known about it. Most likely the Philistines, soon after their arrival in Palestine, adopted the prevalent Canaanite dialect of the area. The word s ^erānîm (Jos 13.3), used of the heads of the Philistine cities, is equated by many with Greek τύραννος, becoming English "tyrant." This, however, is presumably the Greek borrowing from one of the indigenous languages of Asia Minor, and does little to advance our knowledge.

The absence of adequate archeological excavation of the cities of the Philistine pentapolis is another reason why our information on Philistine culture is limited. The most typical find from scattered sites is the well-known pottery called "Philistine ware." This includes twohandled bowls and beer jugs with strainer spouts; it is generally buff in color and decorated with panels painted with black and reddish-purple designs, either geometric figures or sketches of swans preening themselves. It is almost identical with a type of Mycenaean pottery (stratum III C 1 b) discovered at Sinda and Enkomi in eastern Cyprus. From scenes at Medinet Habu in Egypt it is known that the Philistine soldiers wore plumed headdresses and kilt-like garments. They used a long, leaf-shaped sword that suggests a Danubian provenance.

Little more is known about Philistine religion. All their gods had Semitic names such as dagon (Jgs 16.23), Ashtaroth (1 Sm 31.10), and Beelzebul (2 Kgs 1.1–16). The Philistines did not practice circumcision, which set them apart from the Israelites and the neighboring peoples who almost universally had this custom. Moreover, the Bible makes allusion to Philistine preoccupation with soothsaying (Is 2.6). At Gezer and Beth–Shan there are indications of burial customs in which the mouth of the corpse is closed with a gold mouth plate. This practice, perhaps reminiscent of the royal burials of Mycenae in the 16th century b.c., is known also from Phoenicia. At Beth-Shan and Tell Fara (in the south) coffins of pottery have been found that have lids with human features roughly modeled on them; this custom could be linked to the Egyptian sarcophagi. There is also evidence for the practice of cremation at Ashkelon, a custom accepted by the Philistines but entirely foreign to Israel. It seems most likely that the religion of the Philistines was a syncretistic one that assimilated notions and practices from the Canaanites, the Egyptians, and their original Aegean habitat.

Bibliography: r. a. s. macalister, The Philistines: Their History and Civilization (London 1914), the most complete work in Eng. though now somewhat outdated. g. von rad, "Das Reich Israel und die Philister," Palästinajahrbuch (Berlin 1905–41) 29 (1936) 30–42. w. f. albright, The Archaeology of Palestine (rev. ed. Pelican Bks; Baltimore 1960) 112–117. j. gray, Archeology and the Old Testament World (New York 1962). g. a. wainwright, "Some Early Philistine History," Vetus Testamentum (Leiden 1951–) 9 (1959) 73–84. o. eissfieldt, Philister und Phonizier (Leipzig 1936). k. m. kenyon, Archeology in the Holy Land (New York 1960), esp. ch. 9 which summarizes the archeological evidence gathered at Philistine sites.

[d. a. panella]