Once they had settled on the Palestinian coast, Philistines established the five cities of Gath, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron (Dothan, Anch. 2). The social organization and government of the Philistine cities seems to indicate a complex society. The Philistines organized their five main cities into a type of united federation, which was led by an oligarchical government of five serens, or chiefs (Sandars 166). This civilization, therefore, was apparently a military aristocracy, which had supreme military organization and fighting ability (Dothan 19). In contrast, during most of the Iron I period, most of the Israelites lived in villages that had no indications of a complex hierarchal social order. Instead, close settlement patterns and a simple unity in tribal material culture throughout the hill-country indicate a strong bond between tribes, which were likely based on kin (Dever 5; Aharoni 19).

The locations of the major Philistine cities on the coastal plain allowed the culture to have contact with other civilizations and engage in a system of trade that was more advanced than the Israelites in the hill country. In the Israelite settlements, for instance, lack of material culture from other civilizations indicate that the people were mostly isolated from other parts of Canaan and the rest of the civilized world (Dever 5). Meanwhile, the Philistines were able to establish trade routes with many other civilizations. For instance, the Philistine city of Ekron was located on the juncture of the Via Maris, one of the main north-south roads through Palestine that connected it with the rest of the civilized world (Sandars 170). Likewise, an east-west road connected the Philistine city of Ashdod with the settlement of Gezer, further inland, which also allowed a type of trade route. Several more tidal rivers also connected Philistia with the Palestinian interior (Dothan and Dothan 100). Discoveries of Philistine artifacts in areas around Palestine also indicate that the Philistines traded their pottery inland from Ashdod to Tel Eitun, as well as to Beth Shean, Deir All, Megiddo, Hazor, and Tel Dan (Sandars 169). In addition, tidal rivers such as the Lachish River by Ashdod, the Wadi Ghazzeh by Gaza, and the Yarkun River by Tell Qasile also provided anchorage for ships along the coast (Dothan and Dothan 99-100). Therefore, these settlements became ports, which gave the Philistines access to trade in the Mediterranean. As a result, the Philistines were able to come in contact with other cultures and advance their cultures with new ideas and innovations. These other cultures, in turn, influenced the material culture of the Philistines.

Philistine Settlements and Social Hierarchies

Conclusions