Aram-Damascus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kingdom of Aram-Damascus
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| c. 12th century BCE–732 BCE | |||||||||
The region around 830 BCE, with Aram-Damascus in green
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| Capital | Damascus | ||||||||
| Common languages | Old Aramaic | ||||||||
| Religion | Ancient Semitic religion | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Aramean | ||||||||
| King | |||||||||
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• 885 BCE–865 BCE
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Ben-Hadad I | ||||||||
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• 865 BCE–842 BCE
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Ben-Hadad II | ||||||||
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• 842 BCE–796 BCE
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Hazael | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
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• Established
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c. 12th century BCE | ||||||||
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• Assyrian conquest
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732 BCE | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Syria Jordan Israel Lebanon |
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The Kingdom of Aram-Damascus was an ancient kingdom. It was located in the Southern Levant, with its main city being Damascus. This kingdom existed from the late 12th century BCE until 732 BCE.
Aram-Damascus was one of several Aramean states. It was bordered by other kingdoms like Assyria to the north, Ammon to the south, and Israel to the west.
Contents
History of Aram-Damascus
The history of Aram-Damascus is often found in ancient texts. These texts, like the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), tell us about its interactions. They mostly describe its relationships with the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
Early Conflicts
In the 10th century BCE, there were stories of battles. These battles took place between the United Kingdom of Israel, led by King David, and the Arameans. These fights happened in Southern Syria.
Aram-Damascus in the 9th Century BCE
During the 9th century BCE, a powerful king named Hazael ruled Aram-Damascus. He fought against the mighty Assyrians. Hazael also had influence over the northern Syrian state of Unqi. He even managed to conquer parts of Israel.
To the southwest, the kingdom of Aram-Damascus reached the Golan region. It stretched all the way to the Sea of Galilee.
The End of the Kingdom
In the 8th century BCE, King Rezin of Aram-Damascus was a tributary. This means he paid money or goods to Tiglath-Pileser III, the powerful king of Assyria.
Around 732 BCE, King Rezin made an alliance. He teamed up with Pekah, the king of Israel. Their plan was to attack Ahaz, the king of Judah.
King Ahaz asked Tiglath-Pileser III for help. The Assyrian king agreed after Judah paid him tribute. Tiglath-Pileser III then attacked Damascus. He took over the land of Aram. The people living there were forced to move away. King Rezin was executed. Tiglath-Pileser III wrote about this victory in his records.
Kings of Aram-Damascus
Here are some of the known kings who ruled Aram-Damascus:
- Hezion, around 960 BCE
- Tabrimmon, around 930 BCE, son of Hezion
- Ben-Hadad I, 885–865 BCE
- Ben-Hadad II, 865–842 BCE
- Hazael, 842–805/796 BCE, who took the throne
- Ben-Hadad III, 796–792 BCE, son of Hazael
- Rezin, 754 BCE–732 BCE
See also
- Aram (region), a historical region in the Levant mentioned in the Bible
- Aram-Naharaim, biblical term for the ancient land of the Arameans in Upper Mesopotamia
- Aram Rehob, an early Aramean kingdom
Images for kids
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Various Neo-Hittite and Aramean (orange shades) western states in the 8th century BCE
