9 th ▁century ▁B CE . ▁The ▁most ▁probable ▁reason ▁for ▁the ▁destruction ▁was ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Ar am - D am asc us , ▁under ▁King ▁Haz ael , ▁who ▁re igned ▁from ▁ 8 4 2 ▁to ▁ 7 9 6 ▁B CE . ▁The ▁city ▁was ▁re built ▁during ▁the ▁occupation . ▁The ▁new ▁city ▁had ▁a ▁double - wall ▁defense ▁system . ▁The ▁city ' s ▁Iron ▁Age ▁fort ifications ▁were ▁much ▁stronger ▁than ▁those ▁of ▁nearby ▁Meg id do ▁because ▁of ▁Y ok ne am ' s ▁location ▁on ▁the ▁border ▁between ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Israel ▁and ▁Pho en icia . ▁The ▁end ▁of ▁this ▁period ▁in ▁the ▁city ' s ▁history ▁came ▁with ▁the ▁Ass y rian ▁invasion ▁under ▁king ▁Tig l ath - P iles er ▁III , ▁in ▁ 7 3 2 ▁B CE . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁this ▁occupation , ▁Y ok ne am ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁cities ▁in ▁the ▁Je z re el ▁Valley . ▁ ▁After ▁this ▁phase ▁only ▁a ▁small ▁settlement ▁remained , ▁and ▁the ▁fort ifications ▁were ▁no ▁longer ▁in ▁use . ▁The ▁identity ▁of ▁its ▁inhabitants ▁between ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁century ▁B CE ▁and ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁century ▁B CE ▁is ▁unknown . ▁ ▁Pers ian ▁and ▁H ellen istic ▁periods ▁The ▁Ass y rian ▁Empire ▁fell ▁to ▁the ▁Ne o - B ab yl onian ▁Empire , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁fell ▁to ▁the ▁A cha emen id ▁Empire ▁under ▁C