The Siege of Ashkelon occurred in 1201 BC when the Syrian warlord Irsu conquered the major Canaanite city of Ashkelon on the Mediterranean coast.
Ashkelon proved to be one of Irsu's most formidable opponents due to its large army and its well-defended capital. Irsu smashed Ashkelon's army at the Battle of Ashdod, enabling him to focus his efforts on finally capturing Ashkelon itself. Irsu's 1,320-strong army besieged Ashkelon, facing a garrison of 1,041 troops, and he was pleased when the Ashkelonians decided to sortie out of the city and draw up for battle against him.
The Syrians took up positions on a sandy hillside, extending their lines so that their flanks could outflank the Ashkelonians. The Syrian center charged downhill and routed its Canaanite foes, while the Syrian flanks were able to trap and slay both Ashkelonian generals on the left and rout the Canaanite skirmishers on the right. The Ashkelonian army was destroyed, and Irsu followed up this victory by assaulting Paghat's 89 remaining defenders, taking Ashkelon with 105 losses. Ashkelon became a major source of food production for Irsu's empire, and its fall enabled Irsu to focus his efforts on conquering Beersheba to the south and the Amorites to the north.
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