Jerash, Jordon

May 2002

Jerash, is another beautifully preserved Roman city. At one time, Jerash was part of Emperor Pompey's Decapolis, a commercial league of ten cities throughout the Middle East. Jerash reached its peak at the beginning of the 3rd century, but went into a decline after a series of Christian and Muslim invasions, followed by earthquakes in 747. Although excavations began in the 1920s, it's estimated that only 10% of the city has been uncovered.

The entrance to Jerash was once a Triumphal Arch, but the main entrance now is the South Gate. Inside the city wall there is a Temple of Zeus and a Forum, unusually oval-shaped. Behind the Temple is the South Theatre, built in the 1st century, which once held 5000 spectators and, running up to the north, a 600m long colonnaded street. The biggest building on the site is the Temple of Artemis, right in the centre.

Jerash

I guess this guy is not going to be happy when he gets back to his Camira.  Goats everywhere.

The South Gate

The main Forum in Jerash.  Surrounded by columns. Wow!

Another view of the Forum.

The main street.

A temple along the main street.  Don't have my guide book and can't remember what it is or who it belongs too.

Another temple.

When I looked around this temple I met a guard who asked me if I had a knife.  I pulled out my trusty swiss army knife, pulled out the main blade and handed it to the guard.  He then inserted it into a crack at the bottom of one of the columns to illustrate how the Romans had built some give into the columns to cope with earthquakes.  The blade moved up and down as the column swayed imperceptibly in the wind. Cool!

Inside the temple.

Another temple.

Main street again.

The theatre.

Next:

Jordan, 1. Jerash, 2. Mount Nebo, 3. Dead Sea, 4. Petra, 5. Wadi Rum