Tiglath-pileser III’s Campaigns in 734-732 B.C. 157 Isaiah (Isa 7), saved his country from the destruction which took place in Galilee and Syria, preserved partial independence for Judah, and above all assured Ahaz a royal throne in Jerusalem until the end of his life. 2. Reconstruction of the campaigns The extant Assyrian and biblical data permit a reconstruction of Tiglath-pileser III’s careful planning of these campaigns. Such a reconstruction is based on the following reference points. First, according to the Eponym List Tiglath-pileser III organized three military campaigns against the Levant: first in 734/3 B.C. (12th palû) and was described as a campaign a-na KUR.pi-liπ-ti, “against Philistia”, the second in 733/2 B.C. (13th palû) and was described as a campaign a-na KUR.di-maπ-qa, “against Damascus”, and the third in 732/1 B.C. (14th palû) and was also described as a campaign a-na KUR.di-maπ-qa, “against Damascus” (11). Thus, the surrender of the coastal cities of Philistia chronologically must have preceded the military operation in Israel, Syria and Transjordan. Second, Summ. 4 listing the conquered groups of the Levant is divided into two parts. The first part, lines 1’-5’, lists the tributes received in 738 B.C.; the second part, lines 5’b-7’, lists the tributes paid in 734-732 B.C. The city of Kaπpuna is listed in the second group. This indicates that the city Kaπpuna came under Assyrian domination after 734 B.C. (12). Third, according to Ann 23 the first attack on the city of Damascus did not meet with success and was followed by the plundering of Samsi’s camp. Thus, the first campaign “against Damascus” (13th palû) mentioned in the Eponym List can be coordinated with the description of the Assyrian plundering of the environs of Damascus (Ann 23). Since the surprise attack of Samsi’s camp followed the plunder of the environs of Damascus, Samsi’s episode can be also connected with the first campaign “against Damascus” (13th palû). Fourth, according to Tadmor’s rearrangement of seven-line reliefs from Nimrud, Gezer was captured after Ashtaroth (13). This means that Gezer was not destroyed during the coastal phase of the campaign as (11) MILLARD, Eponyms, 44-45. (12) B. ODED, “The Phoenician Cities and the Assyrian Empire in the Time of Tiglath-Pileser III”, ZDPV 90 (1974) 38-49. (13) TADMOR, Inscriptions, 84.