Trachonitis

J3 on the Map

Region. The Leja. From Greek trachys, "rough, rugged", the region of broken country N. of the Hauran (Avranitis). The name Trachonitis was described by Strabo (xvi, 2, 20) and comes from the two great stretches of lava, "the tempests in stone," which lie to the SE of Damascus-the Leja and the Safa. Philo used the name Trachonitis for the whole territory of Philip.

Trachonitis was inhabited in N.T. times by turbulent tribes; conquered by Herod the Great and included in the Tetrarchy of Philip.

Luke 3:1-3 "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilene, 2 while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness."

It was NE of the Sea of Galilee.