Megiddo

The only way to come south in this Region of the country is through the Jezreel valley, particularly for armies. The hapless town at the edge of the valley grew fat from the trade routes passing by. In return it also witnessed more major battles by its gates than anywhere else in the near east, and was razed to the ground an astonishing twenty-five times. Its application as “Armageddon” came from Christians who coined the phrase from its name "Har Megiddo", the Hill of Megiddo. They felt it was an appropriate metaphor to describe ceaseless carnage it had endured. True to form, the valley played a major role in Allenby's defeat of the Turks in 1918 and was the scene of heavy fighting in 1948.

2 Kings 23

29 In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him; and Pharaoh Neco slew him at Megiddo, when he saw him. 30 And his servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead.

The Revised Standard Version, (New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.) 1973, 1977.