Jerash, Jordan – Petra is the highlight of any trip to Jordan, but the country features several other important historic sites worth visiting. One such place is Jerash, a Greek-Roman city located approximately 50 kilometres north of Amman. The trip can be made by taxi on a modern highway and does not take much longer than forty minutes.
The ruins are considered to be well preserved and bear marks of the different civilizations that inhabited the site. Vestiges point to the existence of human settlements in the region since the Neolithic Period, but the city itself became better known at the time of Alexander, the Great, in the 4th century.
It was under the Roman domain, however, that Jerash, or Gerasa, as it was called by the Romans, reached its peak. It was conquered by general Pompey in the year of 63 BC. Later on, Pompey would comprise the first triumvirate alongside Julius Caesar and Crassus.
After the conquest, Gerasa became part of the Roman province of Syria and one of the Decapolis, a set of strategically and commercially important Roman cities located in the current territories of Jordan, Syria, Israel and Palestine. The list also includes cities such as Damascus and Philadelphia (modern Amman).
The ruins of Gerasa are located next to the Modern Jerash, on a plain surrounded by hills, whose fertile lands ensured its development. The ticket to enter the site costs eight Jordanian dinars (US$ 11.29).
The entrance is through Adrian’s Arch, a huge structure built to celebrate the emperor’s visit to the city in 129 AC. To the left of those passing the triumphant arc is the Hippodrome, which now hosts ancient games, including chariot races a la Ben Hur.
The most striking part of Jerash, however, is the large oval-shaped square, or the Forum, which is reminiscent of Saint Peter’s Square, in the Vatican, built several centuries later. It is flanked by two rows of columns that lead to the Cardo Maximus, the main street of the ancient Gerasa.
Along this road lined with pillars, certain structures stand out, such as the Nymphaeum, the city’s main fountain, the entrance to the temple of Artemis, located on top of a hill with its impressive columns, and two monumental arches held up by four pillars each.
Other highlights are the two amphitheatres, the largest of which is located in the southern portion of the site and is known for its acoustics, which may be attested by watching the bagpipe players who perform there on a regular basis (watch video below). From atop the benches, one has a beautiful view of the entire complex.
Near the theatre there is also the temple of Zeus, currently closed for restoration, and spread across the site are ruins of Byzantine churches that still retain part of their mosaic floor tiles. There are also remnants of buildings from the 7th and 8th centuries AC, the time of the Umayyad Caliphate, headquartered in Damascus.
Further information
Site: www.visitjordan.com
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
