Pentapolis (Palestine)
As Pentapoli the Philistines a political and economic alliance of five Philistine city-states is on the coast of Palestine called. These included:
These cities were each ruled by their own princes. As a five-city federation, the group was understood according to the biblical summary in 1 Sam 6,17 EU , where in connection with the ark of the covenant stolen by the Philistines of the five cities and the five princes, the golden bumps of the Philistine cities struck with bubonic plague are mentioned as atonement gifts and passed golden mice. In 1 Sam 5 EU , Ashdod, Gat and Ekron are named as locations of the ark. The book of Samuel as the main source also reports on an always collectively acting alliance which jointly maintained a system of fortresses and garrisons as well as a mercenary force. In the Philistine alliance, elements from the territorial states already existing in the Levant seem to have merged with features of the new model of ethnic statehood. These already existing cities initially had a good stand against the tribal groups of the 12 tribes.
Over time, the Pentapolis lost its original cultural, military and commercial lead over Israel - Judah . Tire, which traditionally had good relations with Israel-Judah, benefited primarily from the decline.
In Jos 13,3 EU the same group appears in a different order. Also Ri 3.3 EU refers to the Five Cities, but without the cities mentioned.
literature
- Kurt Galling : Pentapolis 2. In: Kurt Galling et al. (Hrsg.): The religion in past and present . Concise dictionary for theology and religious studies. Volume 5: P - Se. 3rd completely revised edition. Mohr, Tübingen 1961, pp. 210f.
- Michael Sommer : The Phoenicians: Merchants between Orient and Occident. Kröner, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-520-45401-7 .