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the New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavation in the Holy Land

A victory stele of Sargon II written in cuneiform, of which just three tiny pieces have been recovered, used to be the only archaeological evidence of an Assyrian presence at Ashdod. However, the recently discovered palace just north of Tel Ashdod now confirms that, after conquering and exiling the local peoples, the Assyrians built a provincial center here from which to rule a part of their western empire. This black basalt fragment measures approximately 9 inches square and is written in a different hand from the other two fragments, so there may have been more than one victory stele. The attribution to Sargon II is based on parallel inscriptions by him listing a number of peoples whose land he laid waste during his conquests.