Ancient Empires Before Alexander 8 of 16, lecture 2009, The Empire of David and Solomon
The Birth of Israel
Despite its brief existence, the empire of David and Solomon had a profound impact on history because of its role in
shaping the religious his…
Ancient Empires Before Alexander 8 of 16, lecture 2009, The Empire of David and Solomon
The Birth of Israel
Despite its brief existence, the empire of David and Solomon had a profound impact on history because of its role in
shaping the religious history of the Abrahamic faiths. The accounts preserved in the Hebrew Bible, when used in
conjunction with archeological evidence, enable us to reconstruct the history of Israel and their realm. The roots of
the empire of Israel lie in the upheavals that brought an end to the Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean. The
story of the Exodus must be seen in the context of the devastating migrations at the end of the Bronze Age,
movements that destroyed the Hittite, Egyptian, and Assyrian empires and created a power vacuum that made
possible Israel’s settlement in the hill country of Canaan, as well as the emergence of David and Solomon’s empire.
But it was Saul who first consolidated Israel’s scattered tribes into a kingdom, to defend them against pressure from
the Philistines settled along the coast.
The Empire of David and Solomon
Israel’s moment of imperial glory came under David and Solomon. Our information for their reigns comes almost
entirely from the traditions contained in the Hebrew Bible: There is no archival evidence and little if any direct
archeological evidence. David began his career serving Saul, but they fell out, and David became a rebel allied with the
Philistines. After Saul was killed in battle and his son was assassinated, David was crowned king. A southerner, he won
the allegiance of the northern tribes and then added conquest, vassals, and allies until his sway extended north of
Damascus and south to the Sinai. David’s empire was diverse, held together by personal loyalty to him, but he
constructed a solid and effective army. Solomon was not the conqueror his father was. He launched expensive building
projects like the Temple and exploited the northern tribes, and by the end of his reign they were alienated. The empire’s
unity dissolved forever shortly after his death.
Robert L. Dise Jr. has taught at the University of Northern Iowa since 1992; prior to joining its faculty, he taught at Clinch Valley College (now the University of Virginia’s College at Wise). He received his B.A. in History from the University of Virginia (at Charlottesville), concentrating on the history of the ancient world, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, specializing in the history of Rome.
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