The Philistine Goliath, who, according to the Bible, was defeated by the future King David, was only slightly taller than modern NBA players, reports the Daily Star, citing data from archaeologists at the American Brigham Young University.
It is noted that the gates to the ancient city of Ghat found in Israel make it possible to judge the possible growth of Goliath, which, according to scientists, was about 2.38 meters. This compares with the height of the tallest basketball players in history – Manute Bola and Gheorghe Muresana (both 2.31 meters).
According to archaeologist Jeffrey Chadwick, the authors of the Old Testament tried to exaggerate the strength and size of Goliath, comparing it to the protective barrier of Gat. “The ancient writer used the architectural metrics of the time to describe Goliath’s growth, which should probably indicate that he was as big and strong as the walls of his city,” he said.
In 2016, archaeologists for the first time discovered the Philistine cemetery, where 200 person. Scientists knew almost nothing about this people who fought with the Jews for domination over Palestine. The burial was found at a depth of three meters under the vineyard of the Roman era.
Philistines have inhabited the coastal part of Israel (from modern Tel Aviv to Gaza) since the 12th century BC. The most famous representative of this people is the warrior Goliath, who was killed by the future king David. Along with the Hittites, the Philistines were the first people to own the technology of smelting steel. The modern toponym “Palestine” comes from the name of this people.