TIBERIAS.
4. Peræa extended from the Jordan and the Dead Sea on the west to the Syrian desert on the east, and from the river Arnon on the south to the town of Pella on the north; nearly corresponding to the location of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. The word means "beyond"; and the country was sometimes called (Mark 10:1) "Judæa by the farther side of Jordan." It was inhabited during the New Testament period by Jews, among whom were established many villages of Gentiles.
5. The remaining province has no correct geographical name. It is sometimes called Decapolis; but the term is not precise, and strictly refers to ten cities, not all of which were in the province. It embraced no less than five sections, as may be seen upon the map. (1.) Gaulanitis, the ancient Golan, now Jaulan, east of the Jordan, Tiberias, and Lake Merom, which was then called Samachonitis. (2.) Auranitis, now Hauran, the flat country of Bashan. (3.) Trachonitis, "rugged," the mountainous district of Bashan, now known as el Ledja. (4.) Iturea, now called Jedur, between Mount Hermon and the Ledja, on the north. (5.) Batanea, an Aramaic form of the Hebrew word Bashan, south of the Hieromax.
Decapolis was "the land of the ten cities." These were ten confederated Gentile cities standing in Palestine; and, though surrounded by a Jewish population, preserving their heathen character, and protected by the Roman government. Their names, as given by different historians, do not entirely agree; but the best list is: (1.) Scythopolis (Beth-shean). (2.) Gadara. (3.) Gerasa. (4.) Canatha. (5.) Abila. (6.) Raphana. (7.) Hippos. (8.) Dion. (9.) Pella. (10.) Capitolias. To these may be added: (11.) Philadelphia (Rabbath Ammon). (12.) Damascus. As far as identified, they are named upon the map in red letters. Many of these cities were destroyed, and their inhabitants massacred, by the Jews, in the beginning of the final war before the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.
II. THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF PALESTINE, B.C. 4-A.D. 70.
1. The Kingdom of Herod the Great included all the provinces indicated upon the map, and described above. This organization came to an end B.C. 4, when Herod died.
2. The Tetrarchy, B.C. 4-A.D. 41. The word means "a government of four," and points to the division of the kingdom after Herod's death, when Archelaus was made tetrarch of Judæa and Samaria; Antipas (called in the New Testament "Herod the tetrarch"), of Galilee and Peræa; and Philip, of the fifth province, east of the Sea of Tiberias. The fourth tetrarch was Lysanias, who ruled over the small district of Abilene, between Mount Hermon and Damascus, a separate dominion from that of Herod. In A.D. 6 Archelaus was deposed, and Judæa and Samaria were annexed directly to the empire, and governed by a series of procurators, of whom Pontius Pilate was the sixth. This was the political arrangement of Palestine during the ministry of Jesus, of which a map is given.
3. The Kingdom of Herod Agrippa, A.D. 41-44. Herod Agrippa was a grandson of Herod the Great, and an intimate friend of the emperor Caligula, from whom he received the title of king, and all the dominions of Herod the Great, with Abilene added; so that he reigned over more territory than any Jewish king after Solomon. He was the "Herod the king" who slew the apostle James, imprisoned Peter, and died by the judgment of God at Cæsarea. (Acts 12.)