A group of ten Hellenistic cities in ancient Palestine.
Decapolis
Named in 3 verses across 2 books, first in Matthew 4:25.
ΔεκάπολιςDecapolis
The name means “containing ten cities.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Decapolis Written by AI
The Decapolis was a group of ten Hellenistic cities located in ancient Palestine, primarily in modern-day Jordan, Syria, and Israel. The cities were centers of Greek culture and were granted a degree of autonomy under Roman rule. In the New Testament, the Decapolis is mentioned as a region where Jesus traveled and performed miracles (Matthew 4:25; Mrk.5.20; 7:31). The most notable event connected to the Decapolis is the healing of the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes (Mrk.5.1-20). After being healed, the man went throughout the Decapolis proclaiming what Jesus had done for him, spreading the message of Christ in the region.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
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 (Matt. 4:25; Mark 5:20; 7:31). These cities were Scythopolis, i.e., “city of the Scythians”, (ancient Bethshean, the only one of the ten cities on the west of Jordan), Hippos, Gadara, Pella (to which the Christians fled just before the destruction of Jerusalem), Philadelphia (ancient Rabbath-ammon), Gerasa, Dion, Canatha, Raphana, and 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.”
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
32.682, 35.870 See it on a map
Where the Bible names it
- Matthew 4:25
Large crowds followed Him, having come from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
- Mark 5:20
So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
- Mark 7:31
Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.