Capitolias – the City of the Ancient Decapolis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52575/2687-0967-2025-52-1-33-39Keywords:
Decapolis, cities, region, Early Byzantium, Rome, traditionAbstract
The work attempts to highlight the history and historical topography of the city of Capitolias in Transjordan (Decapolis) in the context of the regional history of the Eastern Mediterranean. Almost no traces of the city in the pre-Roman period are found, although there is an ancient eastern basis, as is the case with most other cities in the region. The place of foundation raises questions, as it is located too close to other centers that arose earlier, and the reasons for the city foundation are unknown. The efforts of the 19th century travellers had paved the way for archaeological excavations that began in the 20th century. Despite the presence of modern buildings, greatly complicating research, archaeologists managed to discover the line of defensive walls, the contours of the street layout, and some public buildings. Overall, Capitolias occupied an important place in the mosaic of Decapolis cities and requires further research in a comparative-historical aspect.
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Browning I. 1982. Jerash and the Decapolis. London, Chatto & Windus, 224.
Cimadomo P. 2017. Conflicts and Cohabitations in the Southern Levant during the first Centuries of the Roman Rule (64 BCE – 135 CE). Napoli, Universita, 239.
Cohen G.M. 2006. The Hellenistic Settlements in Syria, the Red Sea Basin, and North Africa. Berkeley; Los Angeles; London, University of California Press: 245–247.
Donceel R. 1987. L’évêque Epiodore et les basiliques de Kanatha d’après une inscription grecque inédite. In: Le Muséon. 100: 67–88.
Donceel R. 1983. L’exploration de Qanaouat (Qanawat). In: Annales Arabes Archéologiques Syriennes (AAAS). 33.2: 129–139.
Freyberger K.S. 1998. Die frükaiserzeitlichen Heiligtümer der Karawanenstationen im hellenisierten Osten. Mainz am Rhein, P. von Zabern, XV, 138.
Freyberger K.S. 2000. The Roman Kanatha: Results of the Campaigns in 1997/1998. In: Bulletin d’Etudes Orientales, LII: 143-156.
Freyberger K.S. 2004. Das Theater in Kanatha: Funktion und Bedeutung. In: Sacralidad y Arqueología: homenaje al Prof. Thilo Ulbert al cumplir 65 años. Murcia: Universidad de Murcia: 13–32.
Jones A.H.M. 1937. The Cities of the Eastern Roman Provinces. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 595.
Kennedy D. 2007. Gerasa and the Decapolis: A 'Virtual Island' in Northwest Jordan. London, Duckworth, 216.
Lenzen C.J. 1995. Continuity or Discontinuity. Urban Change or Demise? In: Trade, Contact, and the Movement of Peoples in the Eastern Mediterranean: Studies in Honour of J. Basil Hennessy. Sydney, Southwood Press: 325–331.
Lenzen C.J. 2002. Kapitolias – Die vergessene Stadt im Norden. In: Gadara – Gerasa und die Dekapolis. Mainz am Rhein, P. von Zabern: 36–45.
Lenzen C.J. 1992. Irbid and Beit Ras. Interconnected Settlements c. A.D. 100–900. In: Studies in the History and Archaeology of Jordan (SHAJ). 4: 299–301.
Lenzen C.J., Knauf E. 1987. A. Beit Ras – Capitolias. A Preliminary Evaluation of the Archaeological and Textual Evidence. In: Syria. 64: 21–46.
Maxwell L. 1990. Gadara of the Decapolis. St. Louise, Concordia Seminary, 230.
Młynarczyk J. 2018. Beit Ras (Capitolias): The Archaeological Project (2014–2016). In: Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean. 26(1): 473–504.
Weber T., Hoffmann A. 1991. Gadara of the Decapolis: Prelim. Rep. on the 1990 Season at Umm Qeis. In: Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan (ADAJ). Vol. 35: 223–235.
Wineland J.D. 2001. Ancient Abila: An Archaeological History. Oxford, Archaeopress, 216.
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