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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO FERTILE CROSSROADS: The Growth and Influence of Interregional Exchange in the Southern Levant’s Iron Age I-II Transition, Examined through Biblical, Epigraphic, and Archaeological Sources A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in History by Sarah Lynn Malena Committee in Charge: Professor Thomas E. Levy, Co-Chair Professor William H. C. Propp, Co-Chair Professor Richard Elliott Friedman Professor David M. Goodblatt Professor Patrick Hyder Patterson 2015 © Sarah Lynn Malena, 2015 All rights reserved. SIGNATURE PAGE The Dissertation of Sarah Lynn Malena is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Co-Chair __________________________________________________________________________ Co-Chair University of California, San Diego 2015 iii DEDICATION To my parents, Daryl and Audrey Malena, for their boundless love and enthusiasm. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature Page ............................................................................................................... iii Dedication ..................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ........................................................................................................... v List of Abbreviations ..................................................................................................... xi List of Figures ............................................................................................................. xiii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... xv Vita ............................................................................................................................ xviii Abstract of the Dissertation ......................................................................................... xix Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 Introducing the Problem ........................................................................................... 1 Scholarly Climate ..................................................................................................... 3 The Minimalist Critique ..................................................................................... 4 The Contentious Tenth Century ......................................................................... 6 Chronological Setting ................................................................................... 7 Finkelstein’s Low Chronology ..................................................................... 9 The Transition from Iron I to Iron II ................................................................ 26 Chronology in This Study ................................................................................ 29 Biblical Chronology and the Tenth Century .............................................. 31 Additional Studies and Debates ....................................................................... 34 Approaches to the Study of Trade, Exchange, and Interaction .............................. 38 Survey of Approaches and Influences .............................................................. 39 Three Models for This Study ........................................................................... 45 Peer Polity Interaction ................................................................................ 46 Interaction Spheres ..................................................................................... 47 Interaction Spheres and Salient Identities .................................................. 49 The Organization of This Study ............................................................................. 51 Chapter Two: Interactions with Philistines .................................................................. 56 Why Philistines? ............................................................................................... 56 Evidence and Method ....................................................................................... 60 v Prelude to Monarchy: Eben-ezer and the Ark’s Travels ........................................ 61 The Interactions ................................................................................................ 63 Northern Routes ......................................................................................... 64 Southern Routes ......................................................................................... 67 Preliminary Conclusions .................................................................................. 71 Saul ......................................................................................................................... 73 Battle at the Michmash Pass ............................................................................. 73 Matters of Translation and Interpretation ................................................... 74 Interactions at the Pass ............................................................................... 79 Battle in the Jezreel Valley ............................................................................... 86 Interactions in the Jezreel ........................................................................... 87 Preliminary Conclusions .................................................................................. 90 David ...................................................................................................................... 91 Sources and Historical Challenges ................................................................... 91 In Saul’s Court ................................................................................................. 94 David and His Men .......................................................................................... 95 Interactions against Philistines ....................................................................... 104 David’s Alliance with Achish ........................................................................ 108 Interactions in Alliance with Philistines ......................................................... 115 Chapter Conclusions and Implications ................................................................. 119 Chapter Three: Solomon’s Interregional Interactions and Economic Policies .......... 123 Characteristics of the Solomon Narrative ............................................................ 125 Matters of Sources, Authorship, and Editing of the Solomon Narrative ....... 126 Matters of Historicity in 1 Kings 3-11 ........................................................... 128 Long-Distance Exchange in the Solomon Narrative ............................................ 130 Exchange Involving Egypt ............................................................................. 131 Marriage with Egypt and Its Consequences ............................................. 133 Egypt and Solomon’s Adversaries ........................................................... 140 Horse Trade with Egypt ........................................................................... 142 Exchange Involving Phoenicia ....................................................................... 144 Treaty, Constructions, and Northern Land ............................................... 145 vi Maritime Trade ......................................................................................... 149 Exchange Involving Arabia ............................................................................ 156 Exchange in Metals ........................................................................................ 160 Jordan Valley, Levantine Metallurgy, and Copper/Bronze ...................... 161 Silver ........................................................................................................ 162 Gold .......................................................................................................... 163 Preliminary Conclusions ................................................................................ 165 Solomon’s Domestic Economic Development .................................................... 166 Solomon’s Administrative Districts ............................................................... 166 Solomon’s Mas and Building Projects ........................................................... 180 Preliminary Conclusions ................................................................................ 189 Chapter Conclusions ............................................................................................ 190 Chapter Four: The Special Case of Jerusalem—A Discussion .................................. 192 Jerusalem and Interactions ................................................................................... 193 Late Bronze Age: Jerusalem and Egypt ......................................................... 194 In Biblical Narrative ....................................................................................... 198 Transitions