Ashkelon

Ascalon (Ashqelôn).

City on the southern coast of Palestine, between Jaffa and Gaza.

Inhabitants or Natives

Ananias of Ascalon, Hermastée.

Description

A beautiful maritime city that stretches along the shore on a crescent-shaped line of rocks. They enter Ascalon by the double colonnaded street that goes straight to the city center and mimics Rome with its basins and fountains, with its squares serving as a Forum, with its towers along the walls, and everywhere the name of Herod.

Notable Events

The Apostles spread out in the city to preach each in his own style. Judas is driven out with stones following a particularly harsh sermon. John converts Hermastée, a fisherman who becomes a disciple.

Its Name

Other names or spellings: Askalon - Asheqelôn - Tel Ascalon, Tel Ashqelon, Ashqelon, 'Askalan, Askalon, Askelon, 'Asqalan, 'Asqelon.

Where is it mentioned in the work?

• EMV 218: a beautiful maritime city that stretches along the shore on a crescent-shaped line of rocks beyond which the wind and storm have carried the sand. And the rocky barrier, now that the Water recedes after the tide, also appears at this spot, forcing one to return over the dry sand to avoid hurting bare feet on the reefs. "Where do we enter Lord? From here, one only sees a wide wall. On the sea side, one cannot enter. The city is at the deepest point of the arc," says Philip. (See More Information).
• EMV 219: The various sermons of the Apostles in the marketplace. The texts of the prophets can become Calls to conversion or anathemas, Salton the orator.

More about this place

One of the five main cities of the Philistines. Birthplace of Herod the Great who beautified it. His sister Salome resided there.

The shallot originates from Asheqelôn and takes its name from it.

Plan of Ashkelon according to recent excavations.

Excerpt from the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel Salton Maria Valtorta, by Jean-François Lavère:

It describes (...) the scattered houses along the deep arc that forms the coast, not a gulf, but a true arc »1, which seems contradictory with the current straight coastline. Yet historian G. Maspero confirms the ancient existence of a bay now completely silted up.

The Apostles approach the city by the coast, coming from the south. "Where do we enter Lord? From here, one only sees a wide wall," asks Philip. It is only from 1985 that the excavations led by L. Stager have enabled the discovery of the remains of the imposing city wall (2.4 km long). The Apostles go around the wall to enter through "the city gate, on the east side"1. It is the gate archaeologists now call the "Jerusalem gate".

"The road continues straight ahead, with an artistic touch as it turns into a double colonnade shaded and supported by marble columns"1. The excavations of the site surely still hold many surprises.

Another remarkable fact: Maria Valtorta observes stray dogs in the middle of the road. Everywhere else, in Judea, this would be unthinkable because the dog was considered an unclean animal. However, precisely in Ascalon, the 1986 discovery of a dog cemetery surprised the scientific community, which still questions its exact meaning.

Explore

31°39’48’’N/34°32’52’’E/+25m

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