Region
Gadara
GAD-uh-ruh · Modern Umm Qais, Jordan · Also called Region of the Gerasenes, Region of the Gadarenes
Gadara is a region of the biblical world, known today as Umm Qais, Jordan.
What is known
- Traditional site of Jesus casting demons out of a possessed man into a herd of pigs, which then rushed into the lake (Mark 5:1-20 and parallels)
- The Gospel manuscripts themselves vary between "Gerasenes," "Gadarenes," and "Gergesenes" for this region — Gadara and Gerasa have the stronger manuscript support, but Gergesa (modern Kursi), directly on the Sea of Galilee's eastern shore beneath a steep hillside, is regarded by many geographers as the best topographical match for the account
History
- Founded
- A leading city of the Decapolis, perched on a ridge overlooking the Sea of Galilee
- Population
- Estimated 5,000–10,000 residents in the 1st century AD
- Coordinates
- 32.6547° N, 35.6817° E
Archaeology
Excavations at Umm Qais have uncovered a colonnaded main street, a Roman theater, baths, and a Byzantine church. The exact site of the Gospel healing (Gadara vs. Gerasa vs. Gergesa) remains debated. Gadara's rock-cut hillside tombs match the Gospel detail of a demoniac living among tombs, but the city sits on a hilltop roughly 10 km from the Sea of Galilee — difficult to square with the pigs rushing down a steep bank straight into the lake. Gergesa (modern Kursi), directly on the lake's eastern shore at the base of a steep slope, is widely regarded as the best topographical fit, and excavated Byzantine-era remains there — a monastic complex — mark the traditional site of the miracle.
Scripture references
- Mark 5:1-20
- Matthew 8:28-34
- Luke 8:26-39
On a modern map
Further reading
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