Samaria (ancient city)
| שומרון | |
Ruins of the city of Samaria (1925)
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 Shown within Israel
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| Location | Nablus Governorate, West Bank |
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| Region | Samaria |
| Coordinates | 32°16′35″N 35°11′42″E / 32.27639°N 35.19500°ECoordinates: 32°16′35″N 35°11′42″E / 32.27639°N 35.19500°E |
Samaria (Hebrew: שומרון Shomron; Ancient Greek: Σαμάρεια; Arabic: السامرة as-Samira) was an ancient city in the Land of Israel. It was the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel in the 9th and 8th centuries BC. The ruins of the city are located in the Samaria mountains of the West Bank and are under the jurisdiction of the Israel National Parks Authority.
Israelite Shomron (lit. "watch-tower"; also written "Shomeron") was located in the heart of the mountains of Samaria, a few miles northwest of Shechem. The ruins of the Israelite town, as well the ruins of towns built at this same location later in history, are all adjacent or within the modern Palestinian village of Sebastia.
The "hill of Shomron" is an oblong hill, with steep but not inaccessible sides, and a long flat top. According to biblical tradition, Omri, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel (reigned c. 870s BC), purchased this hill from Shemer its owner for two talents of silver, and built on its broad summit the city to which he gave the name of "Shomron", i.e., Samaria, as the new capital of his kingdom instead of Tirzah (). As such it possessed many advantages. Omri resided here during the last six years of his reign.
According to biblical tradition, it appears Omri granted the Arameans the right to "make streets in Samaria" as a sign of submission (). This probably meant permission was granted to the Aramean merchants to carry on their trade in the city. This would imply the existence of a considerable Aramean population.
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