Δεκάπολις
Decapolis
Definition
Decapolis refers to a league or region of ten cities (from δέκα, 'ten,' and πόλις, 'city') in the eastern part of the Roman province of Syria, primarily southeast of the Sea of Galilee. These were predominantly Hellenistic (Greek) cultural centers, distinct from the surrounding Jewish territories. In the New Testament, it is mentioned as a geographical area from which crowds followed Jesus (Matthew 4:25) and to which a healed man proclaimed Jesus' deeds (Mark 5:20). The region also appears as a location through which Jesus traveled (Mark 7:31), indicating His ministry extended into Gentile-influenced areas.
Biblical Usage
The word is used three times in the New Testament, always as a proper noun identifying the region. In Matthew 4:25, it denotes the origin of a large, diverse crowd following Jesus. In Mark 5:20, it is the area where the healed Gerasene demoniac proclaimed what Jesus had done for him. In Mark 7:31, it describes part of Jesus' travel route from Tyre to the Sea of Galilee, highlighting the Gentile context of some of His ministry.
Etymology
Derived directly from the Greek δέκα (deka, 'ten') and πόλις (polis, 'city'), meaning 'ten cities.' It was a common term in the Greco-Roman world for a federation of city-states, and this specific league in Palestine was established after Pompey's conquest in 63 BC to promote Hellenistic culture.
Semantic Range
The mention of Decapolis is theologically significant as it underscores the universal scope of Jesus' ministry and the Gospel. His fame and works reached into this predominantly Gentile region (Matthew 4:25), and He deliberately traveled there (Mark 7:31). The command to the healed demoniac to witness in Decapolis (Mark 5:20) shows the Gospel message breaking ethnic and cultural barriers, prefiguring the mission to all nations.
The Decapolis was a group of culturally Greek (Hellenistic) cities, often with Gentile majorities, within a Jewish-majority region. They were centers of Roman political influence and Greek language and culture, creating a distinct social and religious environment separate from Jewish Galilee and Judea. Understanding this helps explain the mixed Jewish and Gentile crowds following Jesus and the significance of His ministry in these borderlands.
πόλις (polis, G4172) — The general Greek word for 'city,' of which Decapolis is a specific compound form denoting a league.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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