Tiglath-pileser III’s Campaigns in 734-732 B.C. 161 c) Third phase: conquest of Galilee, Israel, and Damascus (13th-14th palû) (24) In this phase of the campaigns Tiglath-pileser III moved through Israel from Galilee as far as Ashqelon. This phase of the campaign can be reconstructed on the basis of Ann 18 and 24 (25) as well as biblical sources. Tiglath-pileser III captured Galilee (Ann 18:1’-7’; 24:1’-11’; 2 Kgs 15,29), then moved southwest and captured Gezer, and finally settled the problems in Ashqelon (26). The population of Galilee was deported and much booty was taken off to Assyria (Summ. 13:17’-8’; 2 Kgs 15,29). In Samaria Hoshea succeeded Pekah. The beginning of Hoshea’s reign had a pro-Assyrian orientation (2 Kgs 17,3) (27), and this pro-Assyrian orientation was one of the reasons why Samaria was spared (28). In this phase Tiglath-pileser III turned finally against Damascus, captured it, and executed Rezin (2 Kgs 16,9). Then he established his temporarily seat there and received the homage of the vassal rulers (Ahaz’s visit to Damascus 2 Kgs 16,10). 3. Logistics of the campaigns The reconstruction of the phases of Tiglath-pileser III’s campaigns against the Levant leads us to reconsider the logistics of these campaigns. It seems that Tiglath-pileser III carefully prepared his intervention in order to achieve such impressive victory. (24) H. Tadmor places the conquest of Galilee in the 13th palû of the reign of Tiglath-pileser III; see TADMOR, Inscriptions, 235. It is impossible to decide this issue with certainty. The conquest of the Galilean cities described in Ann 18 and 24 precedes the episode of Ashqelon. Thus, the reconstruction of lines Ann 18:8’- 12’ suggests that shortly after the conquest of Galilee, Tiglath-pileser entered Ashqelon. Since the city of Gezer is on the way from Galilee to Ashqelon and Gezer was taken after the conquest of Transjordan, the operation Galilee-Ashqelon should be dated after the conquest of Transjordan. Whether this took place at the very end of the 13th palû or during the 14th palû, the reconstruction of Tiglath- pileser III’s strategy and logistics remains unchanged. For this reason I prefer a longer time range (13th-14th palû) for dating the third phase of the campaigns. (25) For a new reconstruction of Ann 24 see NA’AMAN, “Tiglath-Pileser III”, 272-73. (26) EHRLICH, Philistines, 99. (27) TADMOR, Inscriptions, 281. (28) This reconstruction indicates that the change on the throne in Samaria took place after the destruction of Galilee. Moreover, since Hoshea’s ascent to the throne did not spare Gezer from destruction and Gezer later became an Assyrian administrative center (see below), it is possible to conclude that the city of Gezer at that time exercised a certain amount of independence from Samaria.