DECAPOLIS
District that encompassed ten cities (as its name implies).
After the conquest of Palestine by the Romans, these cities were rebuilt and partially colonized, possessing particular privileges.
It is generally accepted that the ten cities were Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Philadelphia, Gerasa, Dion, Canata, Damascus, Rafana and Scythopolis. All were east of the Jordan except Scythopolis, but it seems that the name Decapolis also designated a district west of the Jordan in addition to the east (Mt. 4:25; Mark 5:20; 7:31).
It was to Pella that the Christians fled just before the destruction of Jerusalem.