Shimron
תל שמרון | |
| Alternative name | Simonias, Tell Samunia |
|---|---|
| Location | Jezreel Valley, Israel |
| Region | Lower Galilee |
| Coordinates | 32°42′13″N 35°12′50″E / 32.70361°N 35.21389°E |
| Type | Archaeological site |
| Area | 19.5 hectares (Middle Bronze Age) |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Early Islamic, Crusader, Mamluk |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 2004–2010, 2016–present |
| Archaeologists | Victor Guérin, Yuval Portugali, Avner Raban, Nurit Feig, Yardenna Alexandre, Daniel M. Master, Mario A. S. Martin |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Public access | Yes |
Tel Shimron (Hebrew: תל שמרון) is an archaeological site and nature reserve in the Jezreel Valley.
Shimron was a major city in the north of Israel mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In later times it was also known as Shim'on. It became an administrative center under Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian rule. During the early Roman period, the city was expanded and fortified by Herod, who renamed it Sebastiya in honor of emperor Augustus. In Late Antiquity, it was known as Simonias (Hebrew: סימונייה), as attested to by Flavius Josephus. The Arabic name of the site is Tell Samunia, also written Samunieh.
Tel Shimron is located on the western edge of the Nazareth range, on the intersection of the Lower Galilee and the Jezreel Valley. That location, particularly due to its proximity to the Acre (Akko) Plain, made it an important trade route.
Since 2016, the site is being excavated in cooperation with the Jezreel Valley Regional Project.