Gaulanitis

Gaulanitis was the ancient name for the region east of the Sea of Galilee and the upper Jordan River, corresponding roughly to modern Golan Heights. The name derives from the city of Golan, which was one of the three Transjordanian cities of refuge designated by Moses (Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8; Joshua 21:27). Golan in Bashan was assigned to the Gershonite Levites as their inheritance within the tribe of Manasseh's territory.

In the New Testament era, Gaulanitis formed part of the tetrarchy of Philip, son of Herod the Great, who ruled the northeastern territories including Gaulanitis, Trachonitis, and Auranitis (Luke 3:1). Philip built his capital Caesarea Philippi (Banias) at the foot of Mount Hermon, at the northern edge of his territory. The region's volcanic basalt terrain, fertile upland plateau, and strategic position on the edge of the Syrian desert made it an important transition zone between the settled agricultural lands of Galilee and the semi-arid eastern territories throughout the biblical period.