The Life of Jesus in Harmony | Index

Decapolis

DECAP'OLIS (Gk. de-kap'o-lis; "ten cities").

A district containing ten cities in the NE part of Galilee, near the Sea of Galilee (Mt 4:25; Mk 5:20; 7:31).

The cities were Scythopolis, Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Philadelphia, Gerasa, Dion, Canatha, Raphana, and Damascus. Damascus is the only one now entitled to the name of city.

They were built originally by the followers of Alexander the Great and rebuilt by the Romans in 65 B.C., by whom they had certain privileges conferred upon them. These were typical Greco-Roman cities with their forums, pagan temples, baths, theaters, hippodromes, and other accoutrements.

They were a thorn in the side of the Jews because they introduced nonsupernaturalistic ideas and elements of non-Jewish life-style and architecture into Palestine during the Roman period. The excavations at Jerash (Gergesa) especially reveal the nature of these cities.