Azdud (Ashdod-Yam): An Early Islamic Fortress on the Mediterranean Coa

Azdud (Ashdod-Yam): An Early Islamic Fortress on the Mediterranean Coast, Volume 1, is a detailed study of a coastal fortification in modern Israel. This work of history and archaeology examines the strategic reasons for the site's construction during the seventh and eighth centuries. As the Muslim conquest shifted the regional balance of power, this fortress served as a critical lookout post to protect the coast from Byzantine naval invasions.

The text explores how the military role of the site evolved during the Fatimid period to defend against inland threats from the Carmathians and Bedouin. By analyzing the castrum plan, the author highlights the influence of Roman and Byzantine traditions on early Islamic military architecture. This scholarly examination of antiquities and coast defenses tracks the site's transition from a strategic stronghold to a private estate during the Crusader period.