Decapolis
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de-kap'-o-lis (containing ten cities)
RELATED: Damascus, Gadara |
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Easton's Bible Dictionary
ten cities=deka, ten, and polis, a city, A district
on the east and south-east of the Sea of Galilee containing "ten cities," which
were chiefly inhabited by Greeks. It included a portion of Bashan and Gilead,
and is mentioned three times in the New Testament ( Matthew 4:25 ; Mark 5:20 ;
7:31 ).
These cities were
1. Scythopolis, i.e., "city of the Scythians", (ancient Bethshean, the only one
of the ten cities on the west of Jordan),
2. Hippos,
3. Gadara,
4. Pella (to which the Christians fled just before
the destruction of Jerusalem),
5. Philadelphia (ancient Rabbath-ammon),
6. Gerasa,
7. Dion,
8. Canatha,
9. Raphana, and
10. Damascus.
When the Romans conquered Syria (B.C. 65) they rebuilt, and endowed with certain
privileges, these "ten cities," and the province connected with them they called
"Decapolis."
Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names
containing ten cities
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(no entry)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
de-kap'-o-lis (Dekapolis):
The name given to the region occupied by a league of "ten cities" (Matthew 4:25
; Mark 5:20 ; 7:31), which Eusebius defines (in Onomastica) as "lying in the Peraea,
round Hippos, Pella and Gadara." Such combinations of Greek cities arose as Rome
assumed dominion in the East, to promote their common interests in trade and commerce,
and for mutual protection against the peoples surrounding them.
This particular league seems to have been constituted about the time of Pompey's
campaign in Syria, 65 BC, by which several cities in Decapolis dated their eras.
They were independent of the local tetrarchy, and answerable directly to the governor
of Syria. They enjoyed the rights of association and asylum; they struck their
own coinage, paid imperial taxes and were liable to military service (Ant., XIV,
iv, 4; BJ, I, vii, 7; II, xviii, 3; III, ix, 7; Vita, 65, 74). Of the ten cities,
Scythopolis, the ancient Bethshean, alone, the capital of the league, was on the
West side of Jordan. The names given by Pliny (NH, v.18) are Scythopolis (Beisan),
Hippos (Susiyeh), Gadara (Umm Qeis), Pella (Fahil), Philadelphia ('Amman), Gerasa
(Jerash), Dion (Adun?), Canatha (Qanawat), Damascus and Raphana. The last named
is not identified, and Dion is uncertain. Other cities joined the league, and
Ptolemy, who omits Raphans, gives a list of 18. The Greek inhabitants were never
on good terms with the Jews; and the herd of swine (Mark 5:11) indicates contempt
for what was probably regarded as Jewish prejudice. The ruins still seen at Gadara,
but especially at Kanawat (see KENATH) and Jerash, of temples, theaters and other
public buildings, attest the splendor of these cities in their day.
W. Ewing
Tags:
bible commentary, bible history, bible reference, bible study, decapolis, define, greek, list, ten cities
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