Quick Facts
- Key People:
- Joshua
- Related Topics:
- Hebrew Bible
- Philistine
- Related Places:
- ancient Middle East
- Canaan
- Israel
- Petaḥ Tiqwa
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Aphek
ancient city, Israel
Aphek, Canaanite royal city near the present-day Israeli city of Petaḥ Tiqwa. Situated near the headwaters of the Yarqon River, the city is the most significant of several places called Aphek (Hebrew ʾafik, “riverbed”) in the Hebrew Bible. Conquered by Joshua (Joshua 12:18), it became a Philistine stronghold in the period of the Judges. Its importance is attested by its mention among the cities conquered by the pharaohs Thutmose III and Amenhotep II. Much later, in the 1st century bce, the city of Antipatris was built on the site by King Herod the Great.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Noah Tesch.
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