Dium

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DIUM

DIUM (Dion ), city in Transjordan called after a Macedonian town and mentioned by Pliny (Historia Naturalis, 5:16). The city was captured by Alexander Yannai (Jos., Ant., 13:393) and later incorporated into the *Decapolis by Pompey (Ant., 14:75; Ptolemy, 5:14, 18). The coins of the city show that Zeus, identified with Baal-Hadad, was worshiped there. It should probably be identified with Tell al-Ashʿarī, 15 mi. (24 km.) northwest of Edrei; other suggestions, such as Dahāma or Tell al-Ḥusn, seem less likely.

bibliography:

Alt, in: pjb, 29 (1933), 22 n.3; Abel, Geog, 2 (1938), 306–7; W.W. Wroth, British Museum Catalogue of Coins … Syria (1899).

[Michael Avi-Yonah]