Samaria

Samaria and the Samaritans in the past

The Samaritans were a mixed population in the former Northern Empire.
After conquering the area about 700 BC, the “Assyrians” settled strangers
there who intermixed with the residents there over the years.
They lived in the area around the town Samaria which then was near the
present town of Nablus.
The area around the town Samaria was also called Samaria.
The Samaritans were followers of a cult on Mount Garizim, which was
founded by Jerusalem priests in the 4th century BC.
Mount Garizim is situated a bit south of Nablus.
They built their own temple there after the Jews didn’t allow them to help
with building the second Jerusalem temple.
The final separation from Jerusalem and the independence of the cult
occurred around the second century BC. This led to severe tensions with
the representatives and followers of the Jerusalem temple cult.
The Samaritans were seen as half pagans whose community and land had to be avoided by Jews.
Hatred and hostility developed between Samaritans and Jews.