Historical Investigation: Philistines, Canaanites and the Changing Iron Age

In Judges the Philistines appear first with Shamgar (3:31) and dominate the Samson stories, ruling over Judah (15:11). They are called "uncircumcised" outsiders. The Bible says they came from Caphtor (Amos 9:7; Jeremiah 47:4), usually identified with Crete.

The Sea Peoples

Reliefs of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu (about 1177 BC) show battles against peoples from the sea, including the Peleset, generally equated with the Philistines. Around the same time cities across the eastern Mediterranean fell. Soon after, at Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron and Gath, a new culture appears: locally made Mycenaean-style pottery, later the painted "bichrome" ware; hearths; loom weights of Aegean type; and a diet with pork and dog.

Ancient DNA from Ashkelon

In 2019, Michal Feldman and colleagues published DNA from ten individuals buried at Ashkelon across the Bronze and Iron Ages. Those from the early Iron Age (12th century BC) had a European-related ancestry component not found in the Bronze Age individuals; within two centuries it had largely disappeared into the local gene pool. The study supports a real migration that contributed to Philistine origins. It is based on a small sample, cannot identify the exact homeland, and does not mean all Philistines were "European." It says nothing about any individual in the Bible.

The Ekron inscription

In 1996, excavators of Tel Miqne found a limestone inscription in Temple Complex 650: "The temple which Achish son of Padi… ruler of Ekron, built for Ptgyh his lady." Achish (Ikausu) and Padi are known from Assyrian records of the 7th century BC, confirming Tel Miqne as Ekron. The inscription is real and important, but it is about four centuries later than the setting of Samson and does not corroborate his story.

The five cities

Canaanites

Canaanite cities in the lowlands, such as Megiddo and Beth-shean, continued into the 12th century and beyond; Egyptian garrisons stayed at Beth-shean until about 1130 BC. Canaanite religion is known from Ugarit: El, Baal, Anat, Asherah and Astarte.