LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing receivable, nonaccrual	$ 151,117	$ 134,808
Balance	40,375	41,773
Loans charged off	75,218	33,075	$ 21,616
Release of provision for loan losses	(153,515)	(52,610)	35,081
Loans, net of unearned income	20,269,303	19,855,253
Unfunded commitments	20,365
Commercial, financial and agricultural
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing receivable, nonaccrual	8,059	11,094
Balance	5,889	7,128
Loans charged off	58,612	18,635	7,760
Release of provision for loan losses	(68,349)	(21,307)	(12,071)
Loans, net of unearned income	2,688,929	2,679,403
Unfunded commitments	5,172
Real estate – commercial and farmland
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing receivable, nonaccrual	11,295	13,203
Balance	11,114	15,168
Loans charged off	4,327	3,574	1,852
Release of provision for loan losses	(47,079)	7,049	9,784
Loans, net of unearned income	8,059,754	7,604,867
Unfunded commitments	7,821
Consumer
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Financing receivable, nonaccrual	1,153	420
Loans charged off	5,298	4,926	6,248
Release of provision for loan losses	(2,963)	(3,360)	(7,330)
Loans, net of unearned income	241,552	384,037
Cash Value Life Insurance
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Purchase price		472,300
Increase in allowance for credit losses		1,800
Unfunded Loan Commitment
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Release of provision for loan losses	10,853	(19,226)	$ (332)
Unfunded commitments	1,500
9
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans, net of unearned income	$ 0	$ 0