'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎513] (602/905)

CHAP. XX.]
ANCIENT SITES.
513
those already described; the cultivated grounds are not un-
frequently separated, and protected by fences, as in European
countries.
The principal sites in the Decapolis are Arbat, Capitolias
Abila, Om Reis, Gadara, and Gamala. The first has a castle
and fine reservoir at the village of Irbid, the second is supposed
to be near the ruined village of Mar Elias, the third is one
hour and a half north-east of Hebras, and the fourth and fifth
are not far from the Lake of Tiberias. The extensive ruins of Ruins at Om
Om Reis occupy an elevated and rocky ridge, which, from the Gadira robably
southern side, overlooks the valley of the Jarmuk, or Hiero-
max, and also commands a view of part of the southern ex
tremity of Lake Tiberias. They consist of two theatres, two
temples, part of a colonnade, numerous finely-executed sar
cophagi, and other remains, probably those of ancient Gadara,
which was situated in the region of Scythopolis, with its
villages on the borders of Lake Tiberias, 1 opposite to the plain
of Esdraelon; 2 the Jarmuk flowing before it. 3 The position
of the ruins nearly corresponds with the assigned distance of
Gadara from Scythopolis; and this city, also called Gedor,
was on the south side of the above-mentioned river. 4 Ves
pasian took it by storm, after a brief siege. 5
The remains of Gamala, a city so celebrated for its pro- Gamala.
tracted resistance against the same emperor, 6 are over against
Tarichaea, on the opposite side of the lake, and are probably
those near Kefr Harob, not far from its eastern shore.
The city was on a high and abrupt mountain, which has 'Ajiun.
been aptly compared to a camel, 7 being steep on each side. On
the crest of Jebel Ajlun (Eglon) 8 is Kal' at el Rabba, or
Ajlun, one of the structures of the middle ages; and on its
northern slopes are Jabesh Gilead and Pella: on its south
western side is Amatha (Amathus); and, on the southern,
1 Vita Josephi, sec. 9 and 10. 8 Polybius, lib. V., cap. vi,
8 Pliny, lib. V., cap. xvi. 4 Dr. Zunz on the Geography of Palestine.
5 Murphy's Tacitus, Appendix to book XVI., sec. 10.
6 Josephus, De Bello Jud., lib. IV., c. i.; Tacitus, Appendix, lib. XVI.
sec. 10.
7 Pliny, V., c. xiii. 8 Dr. Zunz on the Geography of Palestine, p. 408.
VOL. I. 3 u