Hazor, located north of the Sea of Galilee, controlled major trade routes running north-south and east-west. Ancient Near Eastern documents often mention Hazor, and archaeologists have extensively excavated the site. History and archaeology confirm its role as a former "the head of all these kingdoms" (Joshua 11:10).
Harosheth-hagoyim (literally "Forest or Farmland of the Nations") might have been a staging area for the battle; its location and history are debated.