The Ancient City of Jerash

Written By: Gail Clifford | Published By: Weekend Notes | October 30, 2022

https://www.weekendnotes.com/jerash-jordan/

The ancient Greco-Roman city of Jerash is on every tour of Jordan. It may be second only to Petra in the number of tourists that visit. It seems the top tourist attractions are Petra, Jerash, Mount Nebo, and the Dead Sea. Anything after that is a bonus. With its proximity to Amman, it makes sense to visit Jerash early in your stay in Jordan.

Located just an hour north of Amman [48km (30 miles)], you’ll visit the crossroads of civilization. Most remarkable, perhaps, for its unbroken chain of human occupation, the hills of Gilead revealed Neolithic remains as well as those from the Greek, Byzantine, Roman, and Omayyad civilizations. While the tour of this area is not appropriate for those with mobility issues, those that can walk, climb, hike, and scramble, will find it easy to spend three or four hours (or more) in the area.

We enter thru the main gate and stroll about 300 meters with the crowds to the north gate and city wall through which we get our first glimpse of the 160 column Forum, the temple of Zeus, the Temple of Artemis, the Cardo (main street) to the main city, walled with 4 gates, one heading towards north to Gadara Umm Qais. It’s everything you could imagine in a major Roman city that’s been transformed to reflect a Byzantine culture.

That monumental arch and vault sits at the start of the road to Philadelphia (modern day Amman). The triple arches and half columns are similar in design to Hadrian’s Arch. It’s thought that the south arch may have been built just before Emperor Hadrian’s visit and later became part of the city wall constructed in the 4th century AD.

As one of the ten Greco-Roman Decapolis cities decreed by Roman General Pompey in 64 BC, Jerash may be the best-preserved classical city along that old caravan route. As you stroll amongst the ruins, be sure to look down and around, you’ll find mosaics in what appear to be unlikely places.

As a Decapolis City, caravans bring goods and people and other languages, cultures, and civilizations. This led to the co-mingling of the communities and already exemplified the generosity and hospitality that is present in the modern-day Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan today.