Decapolis

A major center of Greek and Roman culture in a region of Semitic-speaking peoples, the Decapolis was so-named because it consisted of a loose confederation of ten Greek cities—Scythopolis (the only one west of the Jordan), Hippos, Pella, Gadara, Dion, Gerasa, Canatha, Raphana, Damascus and Philadelphia (modern Amman). Except for Scythopolis, they were located in Transjordan. All the cities are today found in the modern state of Jordan except for Scythopolis (Israel) and Damascus (Syria). While this collective of ten cities gave the name to the district, the district itself, of course, had many other cities and villages. The Decapolis is mentioned only three times in the Gospels (see Concordance below).

Open Map (cities of the Decapolis are in orange) ☰

With the exception of Damascus (which was founded in ancient times) all the cities of the Decapolis were founded by the followers of Alexander the Great, who conquered the region. Greek in origin, they happily embraced Roman rule when Pompey conquered and re-organized the region as Roman territory. Of the ten cities only Gadara (Matt 8:28) and Gerasa (Mk 5:1; Lk 8:26; 8:37) are mentioned in the Bible and then, only tangentially.

CONCORDANCE:

The Decapolis is mentioned only 3× in the Bible:

Matt 4:25 — Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

Mk 5:20 — [As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."] So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Mk 7:31 — Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. [There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, . . .]