Decapolis. In N.T. times, a federation of ten cities which dominated an area mostly southeast of the Sea of Galilee; part of the Roman province of Syria. The cities were Greek, having been built or rebuilt during the time of the Greek empire. Matt. 4:25; Mark 5:20; 7:31.

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Decapolis, a federation of ten cities of Hellenistic culture in an area east of Samaria and Galilee. The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (ca. a.d. 77) lists them as Damascus, Philadelphia, Raphana, Scythopolis, Gadara, Hippos, Dion, Pella, Gerasa, and Canatha.

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