Abstract
This paper reviews data from archaeological excavations at five key sites in the northeastern region of the Sea of Galilee: Tel Dover, Tel ‘En Gev, Tel Hadar, Tel Bethsaida, and Tel Kinrot. Cities were established during Iron Age IB at four out of five of these sites, all of which experienced major changes in their layout at the beginning of Iron Age IIA. The second cities lasted until the end of Iron Age IIB. Iron Age IB cities likely reflect the Kingdom of Geshur, and Iron Age IIA–B cities the southern expansion of Aram Damascus. The material culture of these cities, particularly the architecture, is nonetheless more similar to that of the Aramaean and Neo-Hittite cities in northern Syria than to Canaanite cities in the southern Levant during both periods.
