ABILENE

(Ab·i·leʹne) [Greek, land of meadows; probably from Hebrew ʼa·velʹ, meadow].

A Roman district, or tetrarchy, in the region of Anti-Lebanon N of Mount Hermon. It was named after its capital, Abila, a city situated in a picturesque gorge by the bank of the river Abanah (modern Barada), eighteen miles (29 kilometers) NW of Damascus, at the site of the modern village of es-Suk.—See map of “Roman Divisions of Palestine.”

At Luke 3:1 we are told that in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar (28/29 C.E.) the district was ruled by Lysanias. This fact is confirmed by an inscription found at Abila in connection with a temple dedication dating from the reign of Tiberius and which inscription bears the name “Lysanias the tetrarch.” Prior to this, Abilene had formed part of the kingdom of Herod the Great, but following his death, about the year 1 B.C.E., it was included in the province of Syria. Josephus records that the “tetrarchy of Lysanias” was joined to Palestine, in 37 C.E., under Herod Agrippa I and that it was thereafter bestowed upon Herod Agrippa II by Claudius, in 53 C.E.

Still to be seen around the site of Abila are the ruins of temples, tombs, aqueducts and roads evidencing its Greco-Roman culture. The so-called ‘tomb of Abel’ is located in Abila, but this tradition is doubtless the result of confusing the name of Cain’s brother (Heʹvel, Hebrew) with ʼa·velʹ, “a meadow.”

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ROMAN DIVISIONS of PALESTINE

PHOENICIA

GALILEE

SAMARIA

JUDEA

IDUMEA

PEREA

ABILENE

ITURAEA

TRACHONITIS

Jordan River

Salt Sea

GREAT SEA