103. Ascalon - (Askalon)
ORIGINAL TEXTS Ascalon urbs nobilis Palaestinae, quae et ipsa antiquitus una fuit de quinque satrapiis Allofylorum, separata quidem per sortem tribui Iudae, nec tamen retenta ab ea, quia habitatores eius superare non potuit. (Jerome 23:17-20)	ENGLISH TRANSLATION Eusebius, Onomasticon 22:15-18 (ca. 295 A.D.); Jerome 23:17-20 (ca. 390 A.D.) Ascalon (Jos 13:3), a famous city of Palestine. This too was once one of the five satrapies of the Philistines, and was allotted to the tribe of Judah but never actually came into its hands, for (the tribe) could never conquer the Philistines who inhabited it.
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND Josh 13:1-3 Lands remaining unconquered Now Joshua was old and advanced in years; and the Lord said to him, "You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land still remains to be possessed. This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites (from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is reckoned as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim. Judg. 1:17-19 The settlement of Judah and Simeon Judah went with his brother Simeon, and they defeated the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and devoted it to destruction. So the city was called Hormah. Judah took Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. The Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain, because they had chariots of iron. Zech. 9:5 An oracle about the Philistine cities Ashkelon shall see it and be afraid; Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish; Ekron also, because its hopes are withered. The king shall perish from Gaza; Ashkelon shall be uninhabited; a mongrel people shall settle in Ashdod, and I will make an end of the pride of Philistia.
MORE ANCIENT SOURCES Origenes, Contra Celsum IV,44 (3rd cent. A.D.) That wells were dug by the just men, as is written in the book of Genesis, we may find an indication in the admirable wells shown around Ascalon, which are noteworthy for their unusual shape, different from that of the other wells. Eusebius, Onomasticon, 166:18-19 (ca. 295 A.D.) Philistaea, which is now called Ascalon, and the renowned region of Palestine about it. Anonymus Placentinus, Itinerarium 33 (ca. 570 A.D.) Then we came into Ascalon where is the Well of the Peace. It is built like a theatre, in which one goes down by steps to the water. It is the resting-place of three brothers martyrs. Each of them had a name of his own, but they are usually called 'the Egyptians'. BYZANTINE ADMINISTRATIVE LISTS Hierocles, Synecdemos 721:1-11 (7th cent. A.D.) Province of Palaestina Prima, 22 cities under a consularis: Cesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis, Azotos on the sea, Azotos inland, Eleuteropolis, Aelia which is also Jerusalem, Neapolis, [Livias], Sebaste, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Sycamazon, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Gaza, Raphia, Ascalon, Gazaris, Betylion. Georgius Cyprius, 997-1027 (7th cent. A.D.) Province of Palaestina Prima, Aelia-Jerusalem, Caesarea, Dora, Antipatris, Diospolis wich is also Georgiopolis, Iamnia, Nicopolis, Ono, Sozousa, Ioppe, Ascalon, Gaza, Raphia, Anthedon, Diocletianopolis, Eleutheropolis, Neapolis, Sebaste, region of Amathous, region of Jericho, region of Livias, region of Gadara, Azotos Paralos, Azotos, Sycomazon, Bitylion, Tricomias, Toxos, Canstantiniac Salton, Geraritic Salton wich is also Barsamon. EPISCOPAL CITY Bishops' list Longinus (A.D. 321, 325) Auxentius (A.D. 381) Iovinus / Iubinus (A.D. 415) Leontius (A.D. 449, 451) Anastasius (A.D. 498/9) Antonius (A.D. 498-515/36) Stephanus, in Maiuma of Ascalon (A.D. 518) Dionysius (A.D. 536) Narses (VII cent. A.D.) ? (A.D. 939) Elias (A.D. 1146)

ICONOGRAPHIC PARALLELS Tabula Peutingeriana (4th cent. A.D.) Ascalone
Ma'in: Church of the Acropolis (8th cent. A.D.) Askalon[a]
Umm al Rasas: Church of St. Stephen (8th cent. A.D.) Askalon

see also: 102. The (place) of the Egyptians

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