AS'CALON, or AEltKELON, a ruined city of Palestine, situated on the shore of the Mediterranean, 36 m. w.s.w. of Jerusalem, and 12 m. n. by w. of Gaza. It was in ancient times a fortified city, and the principal town of one of thefive lordships of the Philistines. Its name often occurs in the history of the people of Israel in the Old Testament, where it is represented as falling at an early period into the hands of the tribe of Judah. Herod the great embellished it with baths, palaces, and fountains; but in the subsequent wars with the Romans, it suffered much damage. There was a celebrated temple of Derketo, the Venus of the Syrians, at A., which is recorded to have been plundered by the Scythians, 630 B.C. After continuing long under the dominion of the Roman empire, the city came into the possession of the Saracens in the 7th century. In 1099, a great battle was fought on the plains of A., between the crusaders and Saracens, when the
Christians gained a decisive victory. The city, however, a number of years after, was recaptured by the Moslems, and held by them as t strongly fortified place until 115:3, when it was taken by the crusaders under Baldwin III. In 1187, it was retaken by the Saracens, but afterwards (1192) fell into the hands of Richard Cceur de Lion. Subse quently, being more 'than once dismantled and repaired during the wars between Richard and Saladin, it was reduced to desolation by sultan Bibarsin 1270.
The ruins of this ancient city occupy an extensive semicircular eminence, sloping gently to the e. but abrupt and steep towards the sea. Part of the %rails are still standing, with the remains of Gothic churches, a palace, and several edifices of more ancient date, which attract the notice of the traveler and the antiquary.