Gadara

Ancient town in Syria, southeast of the Sea of Galilee. It was a member of the Decapolis, a defensive league of ten cities. Its hot sulphur springs still exist. It is now in ruins.

Originally a Greek city, it is said to have been captured by Antiochus III, the Seleucid king, 218 BC. Some years later it was besieged and partly destroyed, but it was restored by the Roman general Pompey about 63 BC. Its coins bear Greek inscriptions and depict Greek legends.