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Archaeologists have uncovered two sets of gates leading into Megiddo. One of the gates is very early in Megiddo’s history, possibly dating back to the time of Joshua. The second gate is a little higher up the tel, and is believed to be from the time of Solomon.
A historical marker at the entry of the early gate reads:
“The Late Bronze Period (1550-1150 B.C.) is marked by Egyptian rule in Canaan. At that time, Megiddo was one of the country’s major city-states and its king a loyal vassal of the Egyptian pharaoh. The city-gate and the elaborate palace located just inside the gate are the best-known remains of this period. The city-gate was apparently incorporated into the Middle Bronze (2000-1500 B.C) fortifications that were still in use at the time.”
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When Solomon was king, he fortified Megiddo and other strategic cities:
1st Kings 9:15 - And this is the account of the forced labor which king Solomon levied to build the house of the Lord, and his own house and the millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer.
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The gates of ancient cities were the social hub of the city. Think of it like this: the city gate functioned like a mall, courthouse, city hall, and FaceBook all rolled into one.
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