Bashan

Bashan is a historic region of the ancient Near East, located east of the Jordan River in the area that includes the eastern Golan Heights and the surrounding highlands. In biblical and ancient Near Eastern sources, Bashan denotes a fertile highland country known especially for pasture and cattle.

Geography and boundaries in ancient texts describe Bashan’s core as the Argob district, a basalt plateau characterized by rugged hills. The western edge ran along the eastern slopes of the Jordan Rift, while the southern boundary was near the Arnon River; the area extended north toward Mount Hermon and the uplands associated with Bashan. Boundaries are described differently across sources, reflecting historical and textual variations.

A key figure associated with Bashan in biblical tradition is Og, king of Bashan, who ruled over the region of Argob. Og is depicted as a formidable ruler whose kingdom was defeated by the Israelites under Moses and Joshua. The region is repeatedly mentioned as a place of strength and power in ancient narratives.

Economy and culture in Bashan were linked to its abundant pastures and livestock, which earned the land commendations for fertility. The landscape’s basaltic hills and valleys are noted in antiquity, with several cities and fortifications referenced in biblical accounts. The region’s prominence waned with changing political powers in the subsequent empires.

In later history, Bashan came under successive empires, including those of the Neo-Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman periods. In modern scholarly terms, the historic Bashan is typically associated with the eastern Golan Highlands and adjacent Jordanian areas, though precise borders vary by source.