"Tel Megiddo - Armageddon" Tel Megiddo by WorldMeet2008

Known in Hebrew as Megiddo, a giant fortress and city was built here by king Solomon.
In the New Testament referred as the site of the "final battle".

Map of Ancient Near East

A map shows the geo-strategic location of Israel and Megiddo in ancient times.

For thousands of generations, a network of roads constituted the land link between peoples and countries located in the Ancient Near East, the most important road being the one passing the length of Canaan, which linked the people living along the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, Mount Lebanon and Egypt.

The route of this international road was defined by mountain ranges, river beds, wadis and deserts. The trade caravans were in frequent need of water and shelter, and when these were found they became permanent stations, and some eventually became important cities, as did Megiddo.

The road which travelled the length of the coastal plain, in the south and center of Canaan, along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea was called Via Maris - The Sea Road. To the north the road turned inland and passed through the northern valleys.