Israelite Iron age - I2201

The Iron Age Israelites, spanning roughly from 1200 to 586 BCE, were a Semitic people who lived in the ancient Levant. This period marks the transition from nomadic life to more settled agricultural and urban societies. Early Israelites were organized into tribes, and their history during this era is closely associated with the formation of the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah. The biblical narrative situates this period as the time of the judges, kings like Saul, David, and Solomon, and the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem.

Archaeological evidence, such as pottery, fortifications, and inscriptions, aligns with textual accounts from the Hebrew Bible. These findings provide insight into the Israelites' religious practices, which included early monotheism centered on Yahweh. The Israelites faced pressures from neighboring powers like the Egyptians, Philistines, and Assyrians, which influenced their culture and political structure. By the end of the Iron Age, the fall of both Israel to Assyria (722 BCE) and Judah to Babylon (586 BCE) led to the Babylonian exile, marking a transformative moment in Jewish history.