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—Biblical Data:

A Hellenistic city, situated southeast of the Sea of Gennesaret. It was rebuilt by Pompey, and afterward given to Herod the Great. After his death it became a free city under Roman sovereignty (Josephus, "Ant." 14:4, § 4; 15:7, § 3; 17:11, § 4). At the beginning of the war of liberation the Jews attacked the heathen population, which act was soon afterward fiercely revenged (Josephus, "B. J." 2:18, § 1, 5). The site of this city is marked by the ruins of Muḳes, among which are found remains of theaters and a temple. This Gadara is often identified with the Gadara referred to by Josephus ("B. J." 4:7, § 3) as the capital of Peræa. Schlatter, however, is right in declaring the identification unfounded, and referring the description in Josephus ("B. J." 4:7, §§ 3 et seq.) to the southern valley of the Jordan.

Bibliography:
  • Schlatter, Zur Topographic und Gesch. Palästinas, 1893, pp. 44 et seq.;
  • Schürer, Gesch. 3d ed., 2:122 et seq.
E. G. H.
F. Bu.

—In Rabbinical Literature:

The Talmudic equivalent of "Gadara" is "Gadar" (

Bibliography:
  • Neubauer, G. T. pp. 243 et seq.
S. S.
E. G. H.

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