PEREA. — Region east of the Jordan, which remained Jewish after the conquest and the new organization of Syria carried out by Pompey in 64–65 B.C. P. extended from the fortress of Macheronte ([v.] Hirbet el-Mukaver) in the south to Pella ([v.] Hirbet Fahil) in the north, and from the Jordan and part of the Dead Sea in the west to the territory of the cities of Gerasa and Filadelfia and the Kingdom of the Nabataeans in the east (Flavius Josephus, Antiq. Iud., III, 3, 3). The expression “beyond the Jordan” πέραν τοῦ Ἰωδῆνου is used as an indeclinable proper name in the enumeration together with Galilee and Judea, whose peoples flocked to hear the preaching of Jesus (Mt. 4, 15, 25; Mc. 3, 78). The region, also called “Judea beyond the Jordan” (Mt. 19, 1), was visited by Jesus, twice as far as Bethania of Transjordan (Io. 1, 28; 3, 26; 10, 40).
The name Περσίᾳ appears for the first time in Flavius Josephus (Bell. Iud., II, 43), in Pliny (Nat. hist., V, 14), and in Ptolemy (Geogr., V, 15, 6).
Governed by a sanhedrin residing at Amathus (= Tell 'Ammatā) in the administrative division established by Sabinus (57–55 B.C.), and subsequently entrusted by Augustus to Ferora, Herod’s brother (Antiq. Iud., XV, 10, 3), it was incorporated into Herod’s Kingdom. At Herod’s death (4 B.C.), it became part of the tetrarchy of Herod Antipas (4–39), who, in honor of the Emperor’s wife, gave the name Livia to the city of Rammatha (Tell er-Rāmeh) in the Jordan Valley. The Emperor Nero united it with the Kingdom of Agrippa II.
“P. of Palestine” was the official name in the Roman province of Palestine that was established (cf. Eusebius, Onom., 104, 14). In Byzantine times, after its southern portion had been severed, it continued to be divided into regions (Amathus, Gadara, and Livia). The metropolis of P. (Bell. Iud., IV, 414) was Gadara, today Tell Gādūr, 6 km. south of es-Salt.