See Also: Decapolis(encyclopedia)

Decapolis (sh)




League of 10 ancient Greek cities, including Damascus, in eastern Palestine.

It was formed after the Roman conquest in 63 BC for mutual protection against their Semitic neighbors. The name also denotes the roughly contiguous territory formed by these cities, all but one of which lay east of the Jordan River. Subject to the Roman governor of Syria, the league survived until the 2nd century AD.