history of tel el fukhar

The notes on the history of tel el fukhar are referenced in The Holy Land by Jerome Murphy O'Connor.

Execration texts are Egyptian lists of enemies of the Pharoah and a proscription list like this dated c. C18 BC mentions Tel el Fukhar (Akko). Tel el Fukhar is also Akko, or Acre, St Jean D'Acre, or Ptolemais.

From 2200 BC to 1800 BC Egypt goes from being feudal and ruled by many kings until 2055 BC when Mentuhotep II becomes the Pharoah and sole leader of all of Egypt. This is the middle kingdom period of Egyptian history and by 1800 BC the foundations of the Temples at Karnak are up, Nubia is controlled by the Egyptians after having gained it`s independence in the first intermediary period. Mentuhotep II also set a goal of restoring the power of Egypt over the Sinai region which would lead him towards the Tel Akko.

Being strategically placed for both commercial and military purpose Akko is growing in popularity and giving more prominent place like Tyr and Sidon competition for pit stops along the trading routes.

Tel el Fukhar is the earliest name and Akko is a derivative of the Greek Ake (with a top hat accent on the e).

The Tel el Ake is visited by Alexander the Great, the Hellenistic Greek conquerer who has conquered Egypt in 332 BC from the Persians who taken it in about 600 BC. Alexander dies in  and Egypt is given to Ptolemy I who becomes pharoah. Under the Ptolemy`s Akko becomes Ptolemais.

In 63 AD Pompey of Rome gives Ptolemais it`s independence. Akko however was losing much of it`s prominence as a port to the city of Caesarea ( port city midway between Haifa and Tel Aviv ) which had been founded by Herod. Akko was becoming Christianized and was a pit stop on the third voyage of the Apostle Paul ( Acts 21:7). Akko was also regaining some functionality as a port city and attracted the attention of the Arabs in 636 AD.

story of the history of tel el fukhar continues.... Ptolemais Herod and the Diodochi

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Reference

The Holy Land