Decapolis (redirected from Isaurian Decapolis)

Decapolis (dēkăp`əlĭs) [Gr.,=ten cities], confederacy of 10 ancient cities, all E of the Jordan, except Scythopolis. The others were (according to Pliny) Dion, Pella, Gadara, Hippos, Gerasa, Philadelphia, Damascus, Raphana, and Kanatha. The league was constituted after Pompey's campaign (65 B.C.–62 B.C.) as a protection against the Jews and the Arabian tribes and as a customs union. The Roman governor of Syria exercised general supervision of its affairs, and the cities belonging to the league were liable to Roman military service and taxation.

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Decapolis

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.