Bethulia

Shechem was a large city in the hill-country of Samaria, on the direct road from Jezreel to Jerusalem, lying in the path of the enemy, at the head of an important pass and is a few hours south of Geba.

[4] The Catholic Encyclopedia (1907–14) writes: "The view that Bethulia is merely a symbolic name for Jerusalem or a fictitious town, has met with little favor, even among those who deny the historical character of the book.

Bethulia is clearly distinguished from Jerusalem (Judith 4:6; 11:14, 19; 15:5, 8; the references throughout the article being to the fuller Greek text), and the topographical details" show that "the story, even if it be only a pious romance, is connected with a definite place.

"[1] However, The Jewish Encyclopedia (1901–1906) considers "fort Sânûr", Guérin's choice for Bethulia, to be too far south, which applies to a smaller degree also to Mithilîyeh (Misilyah), the only candidate with a name even slightly similar to that of the biblical town.

"[5][6] The Madaba Map mosaic from the 6th century shows a settlement named Betylium (Ancient Greek: Β[ΗΤ]ΥΛΙΟΝ, Bētylion) on the Mediterranean coast southwest of Rafah on the Egyptian border with Gaza.

[7] A late tract on the Holy Land, De Situ Terrae Sanctae ascribed to Archdeacon Theodosius, identified this as the biblical site, despite its incompatibility with the description in The Book of Judith: "From Rafia to Betulia, where Holofernes died, 12 miles.