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Definition:
The Philistines play an important role in the Old Testament, normally as the enemy and the
bad guys. But who were they? Archeological evidence indicates that they were among the
"Sea Peoples" who arrived in the area around the end of the 13th century BCE, destorying
the Hittite Empire in the process. They then threatened the Hittite's ally, Egypt, until Egyptian
forces under Ramses III in turn defeated them around 1190 BCE.
The Philistines settled on the southern coast of what was known as Canaan and what is known today as Gaza, establishing five large cities. As they began to expand their power inland, they encountered Israelites who were trying to expand their power down out of the hills. The Philistine forces were better organized and more powerful than the loosely confederated Israelite tribes.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
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