Ptolemais
Acts 21:7; Judges 1:31,32
Ptolemais (also called Acco, Acre and Akko in various periods) was an ancient Biblical city situated between Carmel and Tyre on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Once a Caananite (Phoenician) city, the land was allotted to the tribal territory of Asher. Remains of that city are located at Tell el-Fukhkhar. The sandy beach south of the city was traditionally known for exceptional material for making glass. The shore north is rocky and rugged to the water’s edge.
Ptolemais was an important Phoenician city in the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. Documented by Egyptians, Pharaoh Seti I of the 19th dynasty of Egypt landed near there on his first expedition to Canaan. The city was also apparently conquered (according to Egyptian accounts) before or during the reign of Pharoah Ramses II.
In the Iron Age, the tribe of Asher was unable to drive out the inhabitants of the city (Acco), but dwelt among the Caananites (Judges 1:31,32). Acco came under Israelite control during the reign of King David. Much later, when Sennacherib of Assyria destroyed the northern Kingdom of Israel (701 BCE) Acco also suffered destruction. The city was reconstructed, and became an important mint and metalwork center by the time of Alexander’s march to cut off any port access to the Persian navy (333-323 BCE). Acco was renamed Ptolemais in honor of Egyptian ruler Ptolemy II (during the period of the Greek rule in Egypt of the 4th century BCE). Roman soldiers were stationed in the city and Julius Caesar stopped there in 48 BCE. The port flourished in Roman times.
In 52-54 CE, Ptolemais was made a Roman colony and an influx of Romans settled the region. This city so flourished under paganism of the Greek and Roman periods, it was disputed over by Jewish rabbis as to whether it should be considered part of Israel or not. In the Book of Acts, there was apparently a Messianic community made up of Jews who had turned to Jesus probably through the preaching of those who had been scattered at the time of the persecution that arose from the death of Stephen (Acts 11:19). Paul stopped over for one day during his “Third Mission Journey”, traveling between Tyre and Caesarea (Acts 21:7).
Although the Crusaders were unable to conquer Acco in their initial battles, the city was eventually defeated by King Baldwin in 1104. During the Crusader era there was a constant stream of merchandise and travelers in and out of Acco all year round as 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. 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. Acco became part of the British Mandate in 1922, and imprisoned Jews who fought the British are still remembered in a museum building (former prison) where they were once held prisoners.
