BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Who Were the Philistines?

An interview with archaeologist Aren Maeir, excavator of Gath of the Philistines

Mentioned throughout the Hebrew Bible as terrifying fighters, the Philistines were ancient Israel’s greatest enemy … or were they? Decades of excavation at Tell es-Safi (biblical Gath), the largest and most powerful of the Philistine cities, have shed dramatic new light on this infamous biblical people.

BAR Assistant Editor Nathan Steinmeyer caught up with Aren Maeir, director of the Tell es-Safi/Gath excavation, to dig deeper into the Philistines, where they came from, and what made their culture so distinctive. Join us on-site for this in-depth interview and learn how the Philistines first came to Canaan, how they relate to the famous Sea Peoples, and when and why they finally disappeared. Then be sure to check out Aren Maeir’s article “Gath of the Philistines: A New View of Ancient Israel’s Archenemy” in the Fall 2024 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.

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Related reading in Bible History Daily:

The Destruction of Philistine Gath

Nomadic Biblical Kingdoms

Iron Age Gate and Fortifications Uncovered at Philistine Gath

Plants and the Philistine Cult at Gath

All-Access members, read more in the BAS Library:

Excavating Philistine Gath: Have We Found Goliath’s Hometown?

Philistine Cult Stands

Philistine Fashion

Philistine Temple Discovered Within Tel Aviv City Limits