What is the significance of Decapolis in the Bible?

Answer

Decapolis, meaning “Ten Cities,” was a region situated to the east and southeast of the Sea of Galilee, north of Perea, and part of the half-tribe of Manasseh. It derived its name from the ten cities located within its boundaries. The specific names of these cities are uncertain. According to Pliny, they included Scythopolis, Philadelphia, Raphanae, Gadara, Hippos, Dios, Pella, Gerasa, Canatha, and Damascus. Josephus, however, replaces Canatha with Otopos on his list. Among these ten cities, only the capital, Scythopolis, was situated west of the Jordan River. Jesus visited the Decapolis region during His ministry, as mentioned in Matthew as “the region of the Gadarenes,” due to His proximity to Gadara in Matthew 8:28.

The ten cities forming Decapolis likely formed an alliance around the time when the Roman general Pompey conquered Syria in 65 BC. The residents of Decapolis were under the direct authority of the Roman governor in Syria. This league of cities had a degree of independence, allowing them to mint their own coins.

During the time of Christ, the ten cities of Decapolis and the surrounding area were predominantly inhabited by Gentiles rather than Jews, with a notable Greek influence. This explains the presence of a large herd of swine near Gadara when Jesus visited the region to heal the demon-possessed men (Matthew 8:30-33;Mark 5:1-17). Pigs were considered unclean animals, and contact with them was prohibited by Jewish law. The Gentile pig owners did not adhere to Jewish laws, which may have led Jesus to permit the demons to enter the swine, resulting in the herd’s demise. By freeing the men from demons, Jesus also cleansed this particular region of Israel from unclean animals.

The cities of Decapolis were the backdrop for some of Jesus’ miracles. Mark 7:31–37 recounts the healing of a deaf andMute man there. Many individuals from the region of Decapolis followed Him «And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond Jordan.», (Matthew 4:25). In AD 69, when Jerusalem came under attack by Rome, the city of Pella, in southern Decapolis, proved to be a place of refuge for Christians who fled the impending siege.