Abilene

Luke 3:1
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The district over which Lysanias was tetrarch (Luke 3:11Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, (Luke 3:1)). Abila was its chief city. Josephus speaks of this as “Abila of Lysanias” to distinguish it from other cities of the same name. It was described by ancient writers as eighteen miles from Damascus on the way to Heliopolis or Baalbek, and Robinson reached its site in six hours, on the eastern slope of the Anti-Libanus. The center of the district of Abilene lies about 33° 35' N, 36° 5' E. Its extent is not known: it is probable that its limits varied at different times.