Roman Theater, Amman Jordan

Written By: Gail Clifford | Published By: Weekend Notes | October 29, 2022

https://www.weekendnotes.com/roman-theater-amman-jordan/

Roman Theater Amman Jordan

With an estimated 230 Roman Theaters remaining in the world, four are true amphitheaters with the stage with 360-degree seating rather than a back wall, we visited four Theaters during our trip to Jordan, one in Amman, one in Umm Qais, and two in Jerash. Their large open-air venues continue to host cultural events, concerts, and book fairs. Free-standing Roman Theaters remain as far east as Spain and as far west as the Middle East. They’re vast, especially when standing center stage, giving you an idea of the stage fright new and old performers might experience in such a vulnerable spot.

In Amman, we made a special trip to the Roman Theater, located in the Hashemite Plaza, before leaving for our journey to Mount Nebo and Petra. One thing you’ll learn quickly on a trip to Jordan: there’s so much to see, you’d best be organized.

Located on the east side of Amman at the foot of Jabal Al-Joufah, we first spied the Theater from the Amman Citadel. The Theater, thought to have been built in the second century A.D. in honor of Emperor Antoninus Pius, faces north to keep the sun off its 6,000 spectators.

At the entrance, statues of Athena, a soldier, and a nude whet your appetite for ancient history.

In addition to the Theater, there are two museums available, one to each side, The Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions, and the Department of Antiquities of Jordan Folklore Museum.

In the Museum of Popular Traditions, enter to stunning displays of Jordanian garb, sitting areas, jewelry, pottery, and gather an idea how high fashion in modest dress is a becoming combination.

In the Folklore Museum, the Jordanian seating area shows a woman from Jordan sitting on a carpet with her friends around the house after finishing the house chores.

Signs explained the handmade traditional market from the grocer, the musician repair person, goldsmith, pottery maker, aluminum shiner, shoe shiner, and licorice seller. Licorice, an herbal syrup, it turns out, was in vogue in the Arab world, and the seller made a refreshing drink in the summer carried in a copper vase. He typically walked around in neighborhoods and the crowded markets.

The Jordanian dairy industry began as a solution to store dairy products where it was dried and converted into what was known as al-Jameed. This way, nomads could carry it wherever they went. It evolved to become part of the traditional Bedouin heritage, converting the milk to yogurt, after this was boiled, it was put in a skin bag with salt, and kneaded until it hardened. It was then removed and formed into small balls which were dried in the sun and later used in cooking the traditional dish mansaf.

The Bedouins made their tents out of black sheep hair and camel hair. They spun it into yarn and then wove it on a loom. The tents are rectangular shape with the front side open, often directed towards the West. The Bedouin tents are waterproof. The animal hair expands with rain which leads to the closing of all the small openings between the threads. Bedouin tents are traditionally divided into two sections, a guest section used for men welcoming guests and the women’s section, where no men are allowed, used for preparing and cooking food and caring for children.