Shimron
תל שמרון | |
Interactive map of Tel Shimron | |
| Alternative name | Simonias, Semmoune |
|---|---|
| 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, Ottoman |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 2004–2010, 2016–present |
| Archaeologists | 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. Since 2016 the site is being excavated in cooperation with the Jezreel Valley Regional Project.
Shimron was a major city in the north of Israel mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In Late Antiquity, it was known as Simonias (Hebrew: סימונייה), as attested to by Flavius Josephus. The Arabic name of the site is Tell Sammunia, also written Semmunieh or Semmoune. Tel Shimron is located on the western edge of the Nazareth range at the intersection of the Lower Galilee and the Jezreel Valley. The location, particularly due to its proximity to the Acre (Akko) Plain, made it an important trade route.