Decapolis is the name of a group of cities of Hellenistic-Roman time. The city is located to the East of the Jordan river and the sea of Galilee in the area called Transjordan.

The Decapolis probably formed as a city union after the conquest of Palestine by Pompey in the second half of the 1st century BC. But this union can be called a «Union» formally, since the territory of the cities wasn`t a joint administrative area, but represented independent territorial units that were separate from each other. The name «Decapolis» could correspond to the number of cities only during the creation of the region, but then other cities of the Syro-Palestinian region joined the union. In the study of this subject, I based on the information of Pliny the Elder, so the Decapolis includes: Damascus, Canatha, Gerasa, Hippos, Philadelphia, Raphano, Scythopolis, Gadara, Dion, Pella.

The history of the cities begins in the 4th century BC: Greek colonies in the Syro-Palestinian region began to form in 332 BC – the time of the conquest of the territory by Alexander the Great. Colonies in Palestine were based on the sites of ancient community or settlements. Ancient centers were chosen for construction and transformed them depending on the tasks of the new power. For example, many cities in Transjordan changed after the arrival of the Macedonian authorities: Rabbat-Ammon renamed to Philadelphia, Beit she'an (Beth Shean) became Scythopolis, Susita – Antioch the Hippos. Greek cities in Palestine combined two sides: they were both fortresses and economic centers. So, among the cities of the Transjordan, Gadara and Philadelphia in the Hellenistic period were known as a strong military fortification. It should be noted that the cities had the character of a Polis – an independent urban community with a council (Boole) and appointed people who officials authorized to manage the financial, social and religious spheres of the city in complete freedom.

My research is based on:

First of all, the written sources of ancient authors. For example, an extensive volume of sources presented on the activities of Alexander the Great and his campaigns: Arrian Flavius, Quintus Curtius Rufus. A geographical information about the territory of the Eastern Mediterranean which can be considered in a number of works of historical and geographical nature: Polybius, Strabo, Pliny the Elder.

Secondly, scientific works. It is possible to allocate the works written by M. I. Rostovtsev, A. B. Ranovich, A. G. Grushev, and also foreign researchers: E. Bikerman, V. Cherikover, A.H.M Jones and others.

Thirdly, archaeological data. The excavations of the cities of the Eastern regions of Jordan-Hippos, Geras, Pella, where the material is represented by building inscriptions, dedications, epitaphs give us more essential sources.

That concerns the economic life of cities, they were known as a developed region with a strong economic base in Roman times. The prosperity of the territory is associated with caravan trade. Craft production was also developed, but it wasn`t distributed and played a secondary role.

It should be noted that the Transjordan region successfully passes into the early Byzantine period, preserving the late-antique character of its cities.