What was the strategic importance of Judea?
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Judea has always been a key part of the "land bridge" that connects what we now know as the Arab world, specifically north Africa and the Middle East.
In biblical times, Judea was the gateway by which Egypt attacked Middle Eastern countries, and vice-versa. In 146 BC For instance, Ptolemy VI, aided by Jonathan Macabee, had invaded Syria and captured Selucia. That's why Antiochius VII Sidetes found it necessary to bring Macabee's nephew, John Hyrcanis to heel.
Earlier on, Nebuchadnezzar of Assyria had dissolved the Judea of its last king, Zedekiah, when the latter had allied with Egypt in order to start a rebellion.
Your earlier recollection about mountain fortresses is correct. Judea is located on a plateau, through which north-south trade routes pass through (and can therefore be blocked by) strongly fortified cities. Perhaps the strongest, and certainly the most famous of these cities is Jerusalem. According to Wikipedia:
During its long history, Jerusalem has been destroyed at least twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times.
This gives one an idea of the strategic importance of this city, and others around it.
Upvote:7
The area had multiple claims to fame.
From a strategic viewpoint, it connected the Tigris and Euphrates basin to the Nile basin, as already mentioned by Tom.
It was also part of the fertile crescent, a moist and fertile tract of agricultural land compared to its otherwise arid and semi-arid surroundings:
The Eastern Mediterranean wasn't as hot and dry back then as it is today. Rather, it was a rich agricultural tract that produced large quantities of food. (It began to decline in this respect around the 10th century.)
Anecdotally but no less importantly, the area additionally was home to Olive trees, Mediterranean cypresses (a scented hard wood commonly used in rituals) and Cedars of Lebanon (a strategic resource for construction and shipbuilding). The Eastern Mediterranean coast hosted abundant forests at the time - particularly in modern-day Lebanon. One of these was home of the gods in Mesopotamian mythology.
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