Editing Isdud (section)

===Ancient and classical period===
{{main|Ashdod (ancient city)}}

The ancient city of Ashdod rose to prominence in the 12th century BCE, when the [[Philistines]] ruled the city as ''Asdadu'' and the city was a member of their [[pentapolis]], a group of five key cities.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Philistines |page=119|language=he|author=B.Frenkel|publisher=Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Ashdod branch|location=Israel|year=1990|id=ULI Sysno. 005093624 }}</ref> alongside [[Ascalon]], [[Gaza City|Gaza]], [[Ekron]] and [[Gath (city)|Gath]].

''Asdûdu'' later led the revolt of [[Philistines]], [[Judeans]], [[Edomites]], and [[Moabites]] against [[Neo-Assyrian Empire |Assyria]],<ref name="Kaplan">{{cite book |author=J. Kaplan |author-link=Jacob Kaplan |title=Yamani stronghold in Ashdod-Yam |publisher=Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Ashdod branch |year=1990 |location=Israel |page=125 |language=he |id=ULI Sysno. 005093624}}</ref> before one of [[Sargon II]]'s generals destroyed the city and exiled its residents, including some [[Israelites]] who were subsequently settled in [[Medes|Media]] and [[Elam]].<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Judah under Assyrian Hegemony: A Reexamination of Imperialism and Religion |pages=403–414|first=Mordechai |last=Cogan|journal=Journal of Biblical Literature|volume=112|issue=3|year=1993|doi=10.2307/3267741|jstor=3267741|publisher=The Society of Biblical Literature}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Massoume |last=Price |publisher=Iran Chamber Society |title=A brief history of Iranian Jews |year=2001 |url=http://www.iranchamber.com/religions/articles/history_of_iranian_jews1.php |access-date=October 11, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181825/http://www.iranchamber.com/religions/articles/history_of_iranian_jews1.php |archive-date=30 September 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> In 605 BCE, [[Neo-Babylonian Empire|Babylonian]] king [[Nebuchadnezzar]] conquered it,<ref name="EventsList">{{cite book |author=O. Kolani |title=Events calendar in Israel and Ashdod |author2=B. Raanan |author3=M. Brosh |author4=S. Pipano |publisher=Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Ashdod branch |year=1990 |location=Israel |page=79 |language=he |id=ULI Sysno. 005093624}}</ref> and in 539 BCE it was rebuilt by the [[Achaemenid Empire |Persians]], before being conquered in 332 BCE by [[Alexander the Great]].

During the [[Hellenistic period]], the city was known as ''Αzotus'' ({{langx|el|Άζωτος)}} and prospered until the [[Maccabean Revolt]], during which [[Judas Maccabeus]] took the city and "laid it waste".<ref name=Josephus>{{cite web |url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2848/2848-h/2848-h.htm |title=The Antiquities of the Jews |author=Josephus Flavius |access-date=5 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613020910/http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2848/2848-h/2848-h.htm |archive-date=13 June 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=June 2023}} It was then ruled by [[Alexander Jannaeus]] of the [[Hasmoneans]],<ref name=Josephus/>{{primary source inline|date=June 2023}} before being made independent again by the Roman general [[Pompey]].<ref name=Josephus/>{{primary source inline|date=June 2023}} In 55 BCE, the Roman general [[Aulus Gabinius|Gabinius]] also helped to rebuild Azotus.<ref name=Josephus/><ref name=Patai>{{cite book |author=Raphael Patai |year=1999 |title=The Children of Noah: Jewish Seafaring in Ancient Times |publisher=Princeton University Press |pages=144–145 |isbn=9780691009681 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kX7YXtI4POkC&q=ashdod+Vespasian&pg=PA145 |access-date=5 April 2015 |archive-date=29 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210529124810/https://books.google.com/books?id=kX7YXtI4POkC&q=ashdod+Vespasian&pg=PA145 |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the Byzantine period, Azotus was overshadowed by [[Azotus Paralios]], a nearby port and the inland city's maritime counterpart. The 6th-century [[Madaba Map]] shows both under their respective names.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/mad/sections/section7.html |title=Madaba Map, numbers 96 (Azotus) and 97 (Azotus-on-the-Sea) with discussions |access-date=2018-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331092119/http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/mad/sections/section7.html |archive-date=2015-03-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref>