Ai on the Timeline

The city of Ai didn't start out a city. It was a campsite, then an unwalled village. Around 3000 B.C. it became a walled city. Ai remained a walled city for about 550 years. During that time enemies conquered the city a few times, but it was always rebuilt. About four and one-half thousand years ago Ai was destroyed by Joshua's army. After that it lay in ruins for 1,200 years! An unwalled village was set up on the mound for a while, but Ai was never again a walled city.