Located in the heart of Jordan, Jerash (Gerasa in Latin) is not only the best preserved Roman city in the Middle East and one of the best preserved in the entire empire of the Caesars. It is also a stone testimony that offers subtle clues to the coexistence and mutual influence of two cultures: the Greco-Roman and the Semitic, fused here in a unique mixture.
Located 45 kilometers north of Amman, the capital of Jordan, Jerash is the second most visited tourist destination in the country, after the ruins of Petra. After remaining buried by the sand for centuries, excavations have been revealing its magnificence in the last seventy years.
Go through the arch
It is most common to arrive by road from Amman – the journey takes about 40 minutes, and it is better to go by taxi than by public buses – as there is little accommodation available in modern Jerash. It’s a good idea to go as early as possible, to avoid crowds and the scorching Jordanian sun (hat, sunscreen and water are a must), if visiting in the warmer months. Next to the visitor center we find a first jewel: the fabulous triumphal arch of Hadrian, erected in the year 129 AD to celebrate the visit to the city of the emperor, an indefatigable person who travel who spent more than half of his twenty-one-year reign going from one corner of the empire to another.
The arch, which serves as a gateway to the past, is a reminder of the prosperity of the place: protected by the pax romana, its inhabitants (about 20,000) were able to engage in trade, favored by its strategic position, halfway between Petra and Damascus, on the so-called Road of the Kings, an ancient commercial route that linked the Nile with the Euphrates.
Hadrian’s Arch, in Jerash
It all started with water
In Jerash, remains of a human population from more than 6,500 years ago have been found, undoubtedly attracted by the water and fertility of the enclave, a treasure in an arid region. Founded by the successors of Alexander the Great at the beginning of the 2nd century BC, it passed through various hands until it was conquered by Pompey the Great in 63 BC. That same year it was incorporated into the Decapolis (a group of ten semi-autonomous cities located in the Roman province of Syria), a kind of league that lasted until AD 106 and spread Greco-Roman culture in the region.
The oval square, which functioned as a forum, is one of the largest squares known from the Roman Empire
It was the beginning of the glory of Gerasa, which reached its zenith during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD). After Pompey’s conquest, little by little it became an example of the most classic Roman urbanism: large paved streets flanked by columns, a hippodrome, theatres, temples, baths and fountains, spacious squares, sewers…
Going into the past
As soon as we crossed the Arch of Adriano we found the hippodrome, which was 252 meters long and 45 meters wide. The 15,000 spectators that it could accommodate enjoyed chariot races and other sports. Today there are recreations of the races, the gladiator fights and the tactics of the Roman army.
The Jerash racecourse hosted 15,000 spectators
Following the route and already within the walls, we arrived at the oval square, which functioned as a forum. It is one of the largest known squares of the Roman Empire: an extension of 90 by 80 meters flanked by 56 very well preserved Ionic columns from the first century AD. Its splendor can be appreciated especially well from the nearby temple of Zeus, erected on a hill – it still has eight large columns on its façade – and from which one can enjoy the best views of the site.
Fountains and theaters
If we continue walking through the cardo maximus we arrive at the Nymphaeum, a large ornamental fountain dedicated to the nymphs, minor deities associated with natural places such as springs, streams or forests. It supplied water to the citizens – it is no coincidence that the baths were nearby – and embellished the city: covered with marble and painted plaster, it had a half-domed ceiling. Apparently, the water cascaded down seven carved lion heads. What was not used flowed down the drains into the underground sewer.
Theatre, the essential building
A little further on stands an essential building in any Roman city: the so-called Northern Theatre, erected in 165 AD. Originally it had only 14 rows of seats, and in 235 AD it was expanded to hold 1,600 spectators. If there is a northern theater, it is because there is another one in the south. That’s how it is.
The great love of the Romans for the performing arts led to the construction between 90 and 92 AD. C. of the theater of the South. Bigger than the other (it could hold about 3,000 people), it is still in use and enjoys amazing acoustics: if someone speaks (without raising their voices) from the stage, they can be heard clearly from anywhere in the venue. If we look closely we will discover a curious detail: in some of the stone seats there are engraved Greek letters, since they could be reserved.
Jerash North Theater
Roman farewell
We cannot leave this piece of Rome in the Middle East without admiring two of its other temples: the first is that of Artemis, the most important in the city. Eleven of the twelve columns of Corinthian capitals from its portico are still standing, giving an idea of ​​its grandeur.
