DECAPOLIS (Gr. AcKdroXts, dek aft'ol-is, ten cities).
This appears to denote, not, as is frequently stated, a particular province or district, but cer tain Ten Cities, including the adjacent villages (Joseph. 1/it. sec. 65), which resembled each other in being inhabited mostly by Gentiles, and in their civic institutions and privileges. In Matt. iv:25, it is said 'multitudes followed Jesus from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jeru salem, and front Judxa, and from beyond Jordan.' This must be considered as a popular mode of expression. We, therefore, cannot agree with Dr. Lightfoot in thinking it 'absurd to reckon the most famed cities of Galilee for cities of De capolis, when, both in sacred and profane authors, Galilee is plainly distinguished from Decapolis' (Chorographieal D'ecad, ch. vii sec. t ; Works, x. p. 238). One at least of the Decapolitan towns (Scythopolis, formerly Bethshan) was in Galilee, and several, if not all the rest, were in the country beyond Jordan. Pliny gives the follow
ing list, but allows that a difference of opinion existed as to its correctness: (I) Damascus. (2) Philadelphia. (3) Raphana. (4) Scythopolis. (5) Gadara. (6) Hippos. (7) Dion. (8) Pella. (9) Galasa. (to) Canatha. Joscphus speaks of Gadara and Hippos as Grecian cities (Anlig. xvittli, sec. 4), and calls Scythopolis the greatest city of the Decapolis (Bell. Jud. iii :9, sec. 7), from which it may be inferred that he excluded Damascus from the number. For Damascus and Raphana, Ccl larius substitutes Cxsarea Philippi and Gergcsa, and Ptolemy Capitolias (\\'iner's Real-worter buck i. 3o8). The name Decapolis was in course of time applied to more than ten towns, a cir cumstance which may in part account for the dis crepancies in the list given by various writers. The Decapolitan towns referred to in the Gospels were evidently situated not far from the sea of Galilee (Mark v:20; vii :31). J. E. R.