Ancient Persian military base unearthed in northern Israel


A 2,500-year-old Persian military base was unearthed in northern Israel's Acre plain, a report said Sunday.

The military base located in Tel Keisan could be the base camp for the Achaemenid King Cambyses during the all-out attack on Egypt in 520 B.C., Haaretz reported.

Archaeologists have reportedly discovered ruins dating back to the Persian emperor's period, and have found artifacts including ceramic jars and cooking pots.

The excavations are reportedly carried out by a team from the University of Chicago and have so far discovered levels dating to the Hellenistic and Persian periods, as well as the Iron Age.

Cambyses was the eldest son of King Cyrus II the Great, and is known for his conquest of Egypt. The Achaemenid Empire was the first Persian Empire based in Western Asia.