Umm Qais, Jordan
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| Umm Qais,
Jordan |
Umm Qais is a town in Jordan located on the site of
the ruined Hellenistic-Roman city of Gadara (Hebrew: gad´a-ra)
(Greek: also transliterated Gádara). The town was also called
Antiochia or Antiochia Semiramis and Seleucia. Gadara was a
semi-autonomous city of the Roman Decapolis.
Country of the Gadarenes
This city is not named in Scripture, but the territory
belonging to it is spoken of as “country of the Gadarenes”
(Matthew 8:28). In the parallel passages (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26,
Luke 8:37) we read: ..."country of the Gerasenes”. Scholars
debate which is the correct site of the miracle and modern
translations have multiple readings of the Gospels. However,
the earliest texts are very clear as to the original version
of the synoptic Gospels. Upon close observation of the earliest
Greek manuscripts, the Alexandrian texts, the original reading
of Matthew is “in the region of the Gadarenes,” and the original
text of Mark and Luke is “in the country of the Gerasenes”.
The earliest Greek manuscripts of Matthew, which precede the
textual alteration made by Origen, locate the miracle to be
within the “country of the Gadarenes” (Matt. 8:28). The Greek
city of Gadara, was considered to belong to the larger region
of Gerasa, though it still retained some local autonomy.
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Umm Qais |
The Miracle
A controversy exists regarding the site found in
all three of the synoptic Gospels, where Jesus healed the
demoniacs and cast the demons into a herd of swine which ran
into the sea. The Gospel accounts record that Jesus, along
with His disciples, stepped upon the shore and “immediately
there met Him out of the tombs a man” possessed by demons
named Legion (Mark 5:2). Jesus then spoke to the demons and
demanded them to depart, sending them into a nearby “herd
of many swine feeding there on the mountain” (Luke 8:32).
The possessed pigs, “ran violently down the steep place into
the sea” and “those who kept them fled and went away into
the city” (Matt. 8:32-33). Based upon the Gospel accounts,
the location of the miracle had to have a nearby port, tombs
for the men to live in, an area for pigs to graze, a nearby
city to which the men could flee, and most importantly, a
steep bank for the herd to rush down. The problem that has
yet to be dealt with however is the site’s topography. Origen
initially rejected Gadara for its lack of high ridges and
steep slopes down which the pigs “ran violently down into
the sea” (Matt 8:32). Above the port there are multiple hills
which could potentially match up with the biblical account.
The most likely site is found at the end of a chain of hills
that has a bank descending into the sea. The bank is the modern
site of Tell es S’alib located near the New Testament Gadaran
suburb of es-Samrah. A visual representation of the location
of this tell can be seen in Mendel Nun’s work The Land of
the Gadarenes. Although this tell may not have had as steep
a slope as that found at Kursi, it does have a hill that runs
into the sea and could accommodate a “large herd of swine
numbering about 2,000” (Mark 5:11). In addition to the slope,
other features of the site make it match up well with the
biblical account of the miracle. In excavations by B. De Vries
completed in 1973, a Roman tomb from the time of Jesus was
found in a valley nearby es-Samrah. This could account for
the tombs in which the demoniacs lived. Also, there is needed
a nearby site where the swine would have grazed and “the groves
of oak trees on the plateau above would have provided the
acorns they favored”. Thus, the site of Gadara can align both
textually and geographically with the biblical account of
the demoniacs and the herd of swine. The city of Gadara is
represented today by the ruins of Umm Qais on the heights
south of el-Hummeh - the hot springs in the Yarmuk valley
- about 6 miles Southeast of the Sea of Galilee. It may be
taken as certain that the jurisdiction of Gadara, as the chief
city in these regions, extended over the country East of the
Sea, including the lands of the subordinate town, Gerasa.
The figure of a ship frequently appears on its coins: conclusive
proof that its territory reached the sea.Josephus also makes
reference to the territory of Gadara “which lay on the frontiers
of Tiberius and formed the eastern boundary of Galilee,” again
placing the region of Gadara along the coast of the Sea of
Galilee. The place might therefore be called with propriety,
either “land of the Gerasenes”, with reference to the local
center, or “land of the Gadarenes”, with reference to the
superior city.
History
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| Umm Qais
overlooking Sea of Ghalilee |
The name Gadara appears to be Semitic. It is probably
derived from the Hebrew gader, meaning "fence" or "border".
It is still heard in Jedur, which attaches to the ancient
rock tombs, with sarcophagi, to the east of the present ruins.
They are closed by carved stone doors, and are used as storehouses
for grain, and also as dwellings by the inhabitants. The place
is not mentioned till later times. It was taken by Antiochus
the Great when in 218 BC he first invaded Palestine. At this
time, the city was renamed Antiochia Semiramis (or Antiochia
for short) and Seleucia. Alexander Jannaeus invested the place,
and reduced it after a ten months' siege. Pompey is said to
have restored it, 63 BC; from which it would appear to have
declined in Jewish hands. He gave it a free constitution.
From this date the era of the city was reckoned. It was the
seat of one of the councils instituted by Gabinius for the
government of the Jews. It was given by Augustus to Herod
the Great in 30 BC. The emperor would not listen to the accusations
of the inhabitants against Herod for oppressive conduct. After
Herod's death it was joined to the province of Syria, 4 BC.
At the beginning of the Jewish revolt the country around Gadara
was laid waste. The Gadarenes captured some of the boldest
of the Jews, of whom several were put to death, and others
imprisoned. A party in the city surrendered it to Vespasian,
who placed a garrison there. It continued to be a great and
important city, and was long the seat of a bishop. With the
conquest of the Arabs it came under Muslim hands. It was largely
destroyed by an earthquake around 747 AD, and abandoned.
Identification and
description
Gadara was one of the Ten Cities of
the Decapolis. Umm Qais answers the description given of Gadara
by ancient writers. It was a strong fortress, near the Hieromax
- i.e. Yarmuk (Pliny the Elder N H, xvi) - east of Tiberias
and Scythopolis, on the top of a hill, 3 Roman miles from hot
springs and baths called Amatha, on the bank of the Hieromax.
The narrow ridge on which the ruins lie runs out toward the
Jordan from the uplands of Gilead, with the deep gorge of Wady
Yarmuk - Hieromax - on the north, and Wady el 'Arab on the south.
The hot springs, as noted above, are in the bottom of the valley
to the north. The ridge sinks gradually to the East, and falls
steeply on the other three sides, so that the position was one
of great strength. The ancient walls may be traced in almost
their entire circuit of 2 miles. One of the great Roman roads
ran eastward to Der'ah; and an aqueduct has been traced to the
pool of Khab, about 20 miles to the north of Der'ah. The ruins
include those of two theaters, a basilica, a temple, and many
important buildings, telling of a once great and splendid city.
A paved street, with double colonnade, ran from east to west.
The ruts worn in the pavement by the chariot wheels are still
to be seen. That there was a second Gadara seems certain, and
it may be intended in some of the passages referred to above.
It is probably represented by the modern Jedur, not far from
es-Salt. Josephus gives Pella as the northern boundary of Peraea.
This would exclude Gadara on the Hieromax. The southern city,
therefore, should be understood as "the capital of Peraea" in
BJ, IV; vii, 3.
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