Gaulanitis

Golan as a region

In addition to the city of Golan (Γαυλάνην), Flavius Josephus describes "Gaulanitis" (Γαυλανῖτις), a territory containing the towns of Gamla (or Jamla) and Bethsaida in its "Lower" part, Sogane (Σωγανή, possibly Khirbet Sujan or Sakhnin) in its "Upper" part, and also Solyma (Σολύμης, unidentified), Gabala (Γάβαλα, גבלא), and Seleucia (Σελεύκειος, unidentified). Some scholars believe that the "Upper" Gaulanitis was north of the "Lower", differentiated by a political boundary, while others say it was merely higher in elevation. Josephus writes that the Galilee is bordered by Gaulanitis to its east, but he also refers to Judas of Galilee as "Judas the Gaulanite (Γαυλανίτης, Eus ܓܘܠܘܢܝܐ) of Gamla", indicating that Gaulanitis and Galilee overlapped. His account likely reflects Roman administrative changes implemented after the Great Jewish Revolt (66–73 CE), although the suffix -itis probably dates to the Ptolemaic era (305-30 BCE).