Megiddo: Armageddon & Ancient Empires

Tel Megiddo overlooks the Jezreel Valley, one of the great crossroads of the ancient Near East. Its position made it valuable to Canaanite kings, Egyptian pharaohs, Israelite rulers, and later armies moving between Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia.

A visit can include the city gates, palaces, temples, stables, and the deep water system. The site is also associated with the biblical idea of Armageddon, a name derived from Har Megiddo, or Mount Megiddo.

Megiddo is a story of geography becoming destiny. Whoever controlled this hill could watch the valley below and influence the roads that linked the great powers of the ancient world.