Gee – those ancient Romans traveled far and wide didn’t they?
Just north of the Jordanian capital of Amman lies the ‘City of 1000 Columns’ – Jerash – one of the most important and best preserved Roman city’s in the world.
Recent archaeological finds show that Jerash was inhabited as far back as the Bronze Age (3200 BC – 1200 BC) but it only became really prosperous around the end of the first century when the Emperor Trajan built miles of roads and encouraged overseas trade. The Persian invasion in AD 614 started off the rapid decline of Jerash, however, the city came back into its own during the Umayyad Period before a massive earthquake destroyed much of it and its surroundings. Continuing the up/down history, the Crusaders then pulled down a few monuments to build their forts and the famous Temple of Artemis. Excavation and restoration of Jerash has been ongoing since the 1920s.
Top Spots to See in Jerash….
- the Corinthian columns
- Hadrian’s Arch
- Temple of Zeus
- Temple of Artemis
- the Forum
- the ancient city walls
- Christian church floor mosaics.
So, after you have finished running around the more well known Jordanian sites like Petra and the Dead Sea, take a day or 2 and head up to Jerash. You won’t be disappointed.
For information on Jerash and overland trips in Jordan contact the team at OverlandingAfrica.com or post your comments below.