Professor Yosef Garfinkel examined five ancient cities around Jerusalem and found that they had a common layout: a fortress in the center, lined by a belt of houses.
The researcher also found several proto-Canaanite and Canaanite inscriptions, indicating centralized authority and strong kingdom. The cities date to around 1000 BC, which would be during the reign of King David. The discovery could be a sensation.
However, other archaeologists are skeptical of Garfinkel’s claim. According to Professor Aren Maeir from Bar Ilan University, Garfinkel’s conclusion is too hasty and does not take into account many details. After all, the Bible describes David ruling over an empire between the Red and Mediterranean Seas, sometimes including parts of modern-day Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and even Iraq and Jordan.
Researchers continue to study historical data, and each new discovery may offer more convincing evidence of King David’s kingdom. The size of the kingdom may have been exaggerated, but the concept of urbanism clearly existed at the time, and the cities around Jerusalem were linked by a network of roads and infrastructure.
New evidence could help scientists determine if David truly ruled over a large empire or it is just a Biblical tale without historical proof.