Gerasa and the Decapolis : A 'Virtual Island' in Northwest Jordan

Preface 8(1) Abbreviations 9(1) The Decapolis 10(1) Principal ancient and modern place-names 11(1) List of illustrations 12(3) Defining the topic 15(13) The topic 15(4) Study area 19(5) The problem 24(2) Conclusion 26(2) Evidence and methodologies 28(22) Evidence 28(9) Scale and survival 28(9) Methodologies 37(13) Archaeological interpretation and texts 37(3) Nomads 40(10) The natural and human landscape and environment 50(34) Introduction 50(2) A `virtual island' 52(3) Broad patterns 55(7) Micro-regions: diversity and difference 62(12) Natural routes 74(3) Ancient climate and environment 77(5) Discussion 82(2) Settlement 84(24) Hellenistic beginnings, c. 300-50 BC 84(1) Early Rome, c. 50 BC -- AD 200 85(3) Opening up the interior: communications and security, AD 200-350 88(7) A `world of villages'... and churches, AD 350-600 95(5) Ruling from the margins, AD 600-850 100(4) Discussion 104(4) Population and people 108(18) A. Population size 108(15) Introduction 108(1) Population numbers 109(4) Northwest Jordan 113(7) Discussion 120(3) Application 123(3) Cemeteries 123(3) A world of writing 126(25) Introduction 127(1) Writing in the Near East 127(1) Greeks and Romans 128(3) The scale of writing 131(7) Visibility and use 138(5) `Safaitic' inscriptions 143(4) Conclusion 147(4) The structures of the Roman state 151(20) The provinces 151(5) Provincial governors at work 156(4) Provincial administration 160(7) The Roman census 167(4) Everyday life 171(14) Health, disease and poverty 171(3) Seasonality of birth, marriage and death in the Decapolis 174(2) Occupations 176(3) Markets 179(1) Miscellaneous 180(5) Where to next? 185(14) Change 185(6) Overview 185(3) Explaining change 188(3) Data and analysis 191(4) Survey 191(2) Places 193(2) Interpretations 195(4) Nomads and traders 195(1) Arid-land farming 196(3) Bibliography 199(12) Index 211