The Iron Age, or Israelite period, spans from 1200 BCE to 586 BCE and consists of two phases:
- **Iron Age I (1200–1000 BCE)**: Characterized by the decline of Canaanite culture and the rise of the Tribes of Israel, Philistines, and Sea Peoples.
- **Iron Age II (1000–586 BCE)**: Begins with the United Monarchy of David and Solomon, followed by the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and the emergence of other national kingdoms. During this time, Assyria and Babylon gained dominance.
The Kingdom of Israel fell in 722 BCE to Assyrian kings Shalmaneser V and Sargon II, while the Kingdom of Judah was destroyed in 586 BCE by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who also destroyed the First Temple.
