In 734 B.C., the Assyrians succeed in dominating the city. Then it falls under the domination of the Egyptians before being destroyed by the Babylonians. One rabbinic tradition attributes its reconstruction to Ezra the Scribe. Under the Greeks, it accedes to the status of a Greek city, which will assure its development. It even recovers its independence in 104 B.C. and will preserve it until the arrival of the Romans. The latter will consider a it “free city and ally”. Without annexing it, Herod the Great, who was born there, will build markets, baths and a theater.

In 66, disturbances erupt between its Jewish and non-Jewish inhabitants under the Great Revolt against the Romans. Under the Byzantines, it shelters a school of Greek philosophy that is fiercely opposed to Christianity. Its pagan inhabitants are devoted to the worship of Derceto or Artegatis, a goddess with a woman’s face and the body of a fish whose legend is told recounted to us by Ovid:

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Ovid, Metamorphosis IV, 45

The Arabs seize the city in 638. Later, the Jewish community will receive the inhabitants of Jerusalem fleeing the Crusaders. It even assumes responsibility for collecting the funds required for the liberation of the prisoners and the purchase of the religious objects of the synagogues in the holy city. In 1153, the Crusaders in turn conquer Ashkelon, which becomes the land of the Shallot, a type of onion, drawing its name from that of the city. A part of the Jewish community would remain within the walls of the city as indicated by Benjamin of Tudele, in Spain, who refers to it as “a large and beautiful city, which shelters two hundred Jews, dozens of Karaites and almost three hundred Samaritans”. He also mentions a well – Abraham’s well – which received its waters… from the Shiloah Spring in Jerusalem. Saladin destroys the fortifications of Ashkelon for the first time in 1187 and a second time in 1191. Its Christian inhabitants are expulsed and replaced by Moslems. Its Jews return to Jerusalem. In 1270, the Baybar Sultan destroys Ashkelon and for almost six centuries, it will be nothing more than a small locality in ruins – khirbet Ashqalan in Arabic – inhabited by artisans and merchants involved in maritime commerce. In the 18th century, the engineers of El-Jezzar, the master of Akko, strip it of its columns and its rocks. In 1830, the Egyptian governor, Ibrahim Pasha, establishes the city of Majdal or Migdal, which he populates with Arab weavers, and restores the harbor. During the War of Independence, the Egyptians occupy it and are forced to evacuate it in October 1948. Soon after, its Arab inhabitants desert it and move to Gaza while the Jewish immigrants from different countries settle in their place.

Today, Ashkelon comprises five principle neighborhoods: the city center on the site of Majdal; Afridar, founded by Jews from South Africa during the fifties along the shore; Barnea in the north (the site of the ruins of a Byzantine church and mosaics from the 5th century); the residential neighborhood of Shimshon; and the dormitory city of new immigrants. The historic site of ancient Ashkelon has been set up as a national park sheltering the ruins of Greek and Roman buildings, a Byzantine church and Crusader walls. The ancient harbor, crowded with columns and pillars, is further away. Finally, there is the agora where the wind seems to revive the echoes of the old merchants…