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Acre (Akko)....
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Located almost halfway between the modern
Lebanese border and the city of
Haifa, the coastal city of Acco served as one of the key ports of the land of Israel over much of its long history.
The Canaanites and Phoenicians utilized Acco’s port, and the city is mentioned in ancient
Egyptian records.
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Acco's
sea-wall and the Mediterrenan
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Over the millennia Acco was besieged and conquered by a series of invaders, yet at times its strong fortifications kept it from defeat. Indeed, although it was included in the area allotted to
the tribe of Asher, the Israelites were unable to vanquish the inhabitants. "Nor did Asher drive out those living in
Acco or
Sidon or Ahlab or Aczib or Helbah or
Aphek or Rehob, and because of this the people of Asher lived among the
Canaanite inhabitants of the land." Over 3,000 years later, Acco’s impressive walls proved to be the demise of a foreign army when
Napoleon Bonaparte was forced to abandon his siege of the city with his troops.
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Acco was renamed Ptolemis - in honor of Egyptian Emperor
Ptolemy II - during Greek rule in the 4th century B.C.E.
Roman soldiers were
stationed in Ptolemias-Acco, and Julius Caesar stopped there in 48 B.C.E.
Paul and his companions also visited Acco: "We continued our voyage from
Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with
them for a day." (Acts 21:7). |
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Although the Crusaders were unable to conquer
Acco in
their initial battles, the city was defeated by Baldwin in 1104. During the
Crusader era there was a constant stream of merchandise and travelers in and
out of Acco all year round, and the city took on vast importance. Evidence
of its greatness can be seen today in fabulous
Crusader halls discovered
during late 20th-century excavations. At this time of grandeur, Acco
received yet another new name – this time it became known as St. Jean
d’Acre. Acco became part of the British Mandate in 1922, and imprisoned Jews
who fought the British are remembered in a museum, where they were once held
prisoners. |
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