Tristan Hughes

And so we have to go to everyone's favourite yet strangest book in the whole of the Bible, the Book of Revelation.

I love the fact there's a Battle of Thermopylae in World War II, I believe, and a Battle of Megiddo in World War I. That's so interesting.

Battle of Armageddon.

mentioned the valley there.

Can you give us a good sense of the location and just why it was such an important, such a strategic site for so many thousands of years back in Bronze, Iron, and even in Stone Age times?

It's amazing to think that even in Iron Age times, more than 2,000 years ago, around that time, it was already well known as a battle site, hence the biblical link.

So thank you for explaining that, Eric.

But let's focus in on that battle of Thutmose III, the Egyptian pharaoh.

So Eric, is it correct to say that this is the earliest recorded battle in history?

Please do.

And also, so the enemy, because my mind immediately goes also to the Battle of Kadesh, where you do have the Hittite version of it as well.

But that's Egyptians versus Hittites.

With Megiddo, is it Egyptians versus local Canaanites?

Is that what you think?

And does Megiddo continue to be occupied from then on into Greek and Roman times?

Or should we be thinking, I've got on my notes, you have the United Kingdom of Israel, then the divided kingdom as well?

Eric, why is that?

Is there a particular mention of Megiddo and Solomon in the Old Testament?

Because it is that classic of archaeology in the early 20th century, isn't it, Eric?

It's almost that people went out there, trowel in one hand and Bible in the other, and just wanting to find something, even if the information is not there, and just to label it.