GAULS
GAZELLE
lis
Wars, III. iii. 5, IV. i. 1). The province could not have heen of great extent ; it was free from hills, having some portions rocky and others exceedingly fertile. It is a part of the great east-Jordan ]ilateau, and rises some ^(JOO ft. above the sea-level. Judging from existing ruins, tliis region was once densely populated. See on the whole subject Schumacner, The Jauldn. S. JlKERILL.
GAULS (raXdrai) are mentioned in 1 Mac 8^ as conquered by the Romans, and in 2 Mac S'^ as defeated in Babjlonia by the Jews (RVm in the second passage and AV in both read ' Galatians'). The historical allusions are doubtful, although probably the former passage refers to the victories of Manlius in Asia Minor (B.C. 189). See further under GaLATIA, p. 89*.
GAZA (n;y On 10'», Dt 2=», Arab. Ghuzzch).— One of the five chief cities of Philistia, situated on a slight eminence amidst trees and gardens at a distance of 2 miles from the shore of the Medi- terranean, and on the high road from Egypt to Jalia and the East (lat. 31-30° N. ; long. 34- 33° E.). Between the present town and the roast rises a high range of sandhUls,* which protecre the town from the westerly winds of winter, but is a constant source of danger and loss, as the sands, impelled by the winds from the sea, are ever ad- vancing; inland ; and it is supposed, with much probability, that the city of the time of the judges (c. B.C. 1100) is buried beneath these immense mounds. To the east of the town rises a ridge, 270 feet high, called el-Muntfir, or 'the watch- tower,' supposed to be the mount, ' in the direction of Hebron, to which Samson carried the gates of the city (Jg 16') : and on the coast are some traces of ruins. Tell et-Tineh and el-Mineh, which are con- sidered to mark the position of the fonner harbour. There is, however, no natural harbour, or safe anchorage, at any part of this coast for many miles from Gaza, and the place could never have been a seaport town. One of the most interesting ob- jects about Gaza is the forest of ancient olive trees extending for 3 miles along the Jaffa road, somewhat resembling a forest of ancient oaks in the gnarled and wrinkled character of their bark, and tlie girth of their corrugated trunks.f The country around is rich and well cultivated, or else laid out in pasturage for sheep, goats, and herds of cattle ; and the Arabs from the neighbour- ing desert assemble here in the market-place to buy and sell commodities. They belong to the Azazimeh and TerabJn tribes inhabiting the districts to the N. and S. of the Wady es-Seba (here called the Wady Ghftzzeh), and stretching southwards into the sterile region of the Badiet et-Tih.
History. — Gaza is one of the most ancient cities named in the Bible. AVe find it mentioned, along with the cities of the plain, as lying along the border of the Canaanites (Gn 10'*), t and it was captured, but not retained, by the tribe of Juilah on the invasion of I'al. by the Israelites (.Ig !'"• '"). The special interest of its early liistory is connected with the exploits of Samson during the wars between Israel and the Philistines (Jg 13-16), at which time G. seems to have risen to a position of great im- portance, and to have become the capital of the rhilistine confederacy ; a position which it re- tained down to the time of Alexander the Great.
* Survey Map of Palestine.
t One of these trees was found to be 19 feet in circumference ftt 4 feet from tiie pround wlien measured by tlte present writer In 1884 ; and many of tbem may H« » ttaousana years of a^e and upwards.
t It does not necessarily follow th*- Oaza was in existence at that time, but only in the lime of the writer of the Book of Uenesis.
In the year B.C. 710, when joined in alliance with Sabako king of Egypt, and ruled by Hanno, it waa attacked by Sargon and the army of Assyria. A great battle was fought at Raphia (the modem Rafeh), about half-way between Gaza and tlie Wady el-'Artsh ('River of Egypt'), in whicli the allies were defeated by Sar^'on. Hanno wins de- prived of his crown, and earned captive to Assyria by the conqueror. This was the Urst tri.il of strength between the two great powers of Egypt and Assyria.* Still later (B.C. 332) G. was strong enough to resist for a period of two months a siege by Alexander the Great, after the battle of Issns, but was ultimately taken by storm. The city at this time is described as 20 stadia distant from the sea, and very difficult of access owing to the height of the sandhills. The city itself '>va3 wide, and placed on a lofty hUl and strongly forti- fied by a wall.t
But the ultimate decay of G. foretold by the
Erophets (Jer 47, Am 1«, Zeph 2", Zee 9°) was astening towards fulfilment. G. sull'ered greatly (1 Mac 1161-8- 13") in the wars between Ptolemy IX. and Alexander Jann:eus, a prince of the Mac- cabaian line (B.C. 105-78). By Augustus it was assigned to the kingdom of Herod along with the neighbouring maritime cities. Tliis brings us to the first event recorded in NT history in which the name of G. comes prominently into view, namely, the conversion and baptism of the Ethi- opian eunuch, which took place near the city (Ac 8-''). The precise spot where he was baptized by Philip cannot be determined with certainty ; but it may be inferred to have been at the crossing of either the brook Wady el-Hessy or Wady el-Halib by thj road from Jaffa to Gaza.J