Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
The city was located in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim.  And upon the division of the kingdom, Jeroboam I rebuilt Shechem, fortified it and made it his capital.  It continued as a very important city until the establishment of Samaria as the capital of the Northern Kingdom, after which Shechem declined.  Shechem was located on the principal natural roadway between the East and the Mediterranean Sea, and the ruler of Shechem was able to impose taxes or a tariff on the caravans using that route.