What is ‘the region of the Decapolis’, that was visited by Jesus?

"Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis." - Mark 7:31

Most of Jesus’ ministry was spent in Jewish regions, but the Bible records that he also ministered among the Gentiles. The Decapolis was a loose confederation of 10 autonomous Greco-Roman city-states dependent on Rome, mostly to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.

The New Testament records 3 events in Jesus’ ministry in the Decapolis area:

• Jesus heals the Garasene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20).

• Jesus healed a deaf-mute man (Mark 7:31-35).

• Jesus had many followers in that region (Matthew 4:24-25).

Only Scythopolis and Hippos are within the borders of present-day Israel. The others are further north and east, in Syria (Damascus) and Jordan (Canatha, Dion, Raphana, Gadara, Pella, Gerasa and Philadephia).