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is rare, is rarely coordinated and usually is not designed to be a
mortal blow. It is defeated by Israel's strategic advantage of interior
lines.

Israeli Geography and the Convergence Zone
Therefore, it is not surprising that Israel's first incarnation lasted as
long as it did — some five centuries. What is interesting and what
must be considered is why Israel (now considered as the northern
kingdom) was defeated by the Assyrians and Judea, then defeated by
Babylon. To understand this, we need to consider the broader
geography of Israel's location.
Israel is located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, on the
Levant. As we have seen, when Israel is intact, it will tend to be the
dominant power in the Levant. Therefore, Israeli resources must
generally be dedicated for land warfare, leaving little over for naval
warfare. In general, although Israel had excellent harbors and access
to wood for shipbuilding, it never was a major Mediterranean naval
power. It never projected power into the sea. The area to the north of
Israel has always been a maritime power, but Israel, the area south of
Mount Hermon, was always forced to be a land power.
The Levant in general and Israel in particular has always been a
magnet for great powers. No Mediterranean empire could be fully
secure unless it controlled the Levant. Whether it was Rome or
Carthage, a Mediterranean empire that wanted to control both the
northern and southern littorals needed to anchor its eastern flank on
the Levant. For one thing, without the Levant, a Mediterranean power
would be entirely dependent on sea lanes for controlling the other
shore. Moving troops solely by sea creates transport limitations and
logistical problems. It also leaves imperial lines vulnerable to
interdiction — sometimes merely from pirates, a problem that
plagued Rome's sea transport. A land bridge, or a land bridge with
minimal water crossings that can be easily defended, is a vital

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