In the time of Jesus, Palestine was divided into the areas of Judaea, Galilee, Samaria, Peraea and the Decapolis. There are references to each area in the gospels.

Judaea was the southern area and it corresponded to the territory of Judah in Old Testament times. Jerusalem was in Judaea. The Roman administrative centre for Judaea was Caesarea, on the coast. This was where Roman troops were stationed.

Galilee lay west of the Lake of Galilee. In Old Testament times it had been part of the northern kingdom of Israel. The population was mainly Jewish but there were quite a number of Gentiles who had come into the area. The Galileans spoke with an accent different from that of the southern Jews (Luke 22:59).

Samaria was between Judaea and Galilee. When the Romans put a minor governor or procurator over the territory which had been ruled by Archelaus, in A.D. 6, Samaria was included with Judaea in the area ruled directly by the procurator. Pontius Pilate was one of these procurators.

Peraea was the district east of Jordan and the Dead Sea. In the gospels it is referred to as the district across the river Jordan, e.g. in John 10:40.

The name of the district called the Decapolis means 'ten cities'. The area lay east of the river Jordan. The majority of the populations were Greek and the cities referred to were Greek-style cities.