Ashkelon or Ashqelon (/ˈæʃkəlɒn/; Hebrew: , ʾAšqəlōn, [aʃkeˈlon]; Philistine: 𐤀𐤔𐤒𐤋𐤍 *ʾAšqalōna), also known as Ascalon (/ˈæskəlɒn/; Ancient Greek: Ασκαλων, Askalōn; Arabic: عَسْقَلَان‎, ʿAsqalān), is a coastal city in the Southern District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, 50 kilometres (30 mi) south of Tel Aviv, and 13 kilometres (8 mi) north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age. In the course of its history, it has been ruled by the Ancient Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Greeks, the Phoenicians, the Hasmoneans, the Romans, the Persians, the Arabs and the Crusaders, until it was destroyed by the Mamluks in 1270.