Jerash

Jerash is a city in northern Jordan and serves as the administrative center of the Jerash Governorate. With a population of 50,745 as of 2015, it is located about 30 miles north of the capital city Amman. Known for its incredibly well-preserved ancient ruins, Jerash is often called the "Pompeii of the Middle East".

The city has a long and fascinating history. Evidence of settlement dates back to around 7500 BC. Jerash was especially important during the Greek, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods, when it was known as Gerasa and was one of the cities of the Decapolis. Many early Christian churches were built there, some converting old temples into places of worship.

Throughout the centuries, earthquakes and other events caused much of Jerash to be destroyed and abandoned. It reappeared during the Ottoman era in the 16th century. Modern excavations beginning in 1925 have uncovered many ancient structures and artifacts, revealing more about its rich past.

Today, Jerash is a popular tourist destination. In 2018, around 330,000 visitors came to see its amazing ruins. The city also hosts the Jerash Festival, a major cultural event that draws many people each year.

History

Neolithic age

Archaeologists have found old ruins in Jerash that go back to very ancient times, called the Neolithic Age. In 2015, a team from the University of Jordan found two very old human skulls in Jerash. These skulls are from a time between 7500 and 5500 BC, showing that people lived in Jordan long ago.

Bronze Age

People also lived in the Jerash area during the Bronze Age, which was from 3200 to 1200 BC.

Hellenistic period

Jerash is where the ruins of an old Greek city called Gerasa are found. Some believe the city was founded by Alexander the Great and his general Perdiccas in 331 BC. Others think it was founded by a king named Antiochus IV or Ptolemy II of Egypt.

Roman period

When the Romans took control of the area in 63 BC, Gerasa became part of a group of cities called the Decapolis. The city was mostly home to Syrians, with a few Jewish families as well. Gerasa was a happy and successful city. The Romans built roads, and more trade came to Jerash. Emperor Hadrian visited in AD 129–130, and a special arch was built to welcome him.

Byzantine period

The city grew to about 80 hectares, or 200 acres. In AD 614, it was attacked by Persian forces. Later, in 636, the Byzantine army lost a big battle, and the area became part of a new Islamic empire.

Umayyad period

The city did well during this time. It had many shops and made its own coins. People made ceramics, and large mosques and churches showed that both Muslims and Christians lived there together. In 749, a big earthquake damaged much of Jerash.

Crusader period

In the 1100s, a fortress was built in the area. A king named Baldwin II captured and burned it in 1121–1122.

Mid to Late Muslim period

Small communities stayed in Jerash during later times, especially around the Temple of Zeus. In 1596, during the time of the Ottoman Empire, Jerash was recorded in a list with a small Muslim population. By 1838, Jerash was described as a place in ruins.

Climate

Jerash has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate. This means the city experiences warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

Archaeology

Jerash is one of the largest and best-preserved places with Greek and Roman buildings in the world outside of Italy.

Greco-Roman period

Remains from the Greco-Roman time in Jerash include:

• An oval forum that is 300 feet long, surrounded by an Ionic colonnade
• Two large holy places for Artemis and Zeus with well-preserved temples
• Two theatres (the South Theatre and the North Theatre)
• A long colonnaded street or cardo and its smaller streets or decumani
• Two special four-way crossings in Jerash
• Arch of Hadrian
• The circus / hippodrome
• Two big thermae or public bath buildings
• A large nymphaeum that got water from an aqueduct
• A macellum or covered market
• A special shaped open space with two open buildings
• Almost all of the city walls
• Two large bridges over a nearby river
• A holy place outside the city with pools and a small theatre

Most of these buildings were paid for by rich people from the city. The south theatre has a special stone in the middle where someone can speak and be heard clearly all around the auditorium. In 2018, at least 14 marble statues were found near the Eastern Baths of Jerash, including pictures of Aphrodite and Zeus.

Late Roman and Early Byzantine period

Jerash had a big Christian community. A large church was built in the city in the 4th century, and it was one of at least 14 churches built between the 4th and 7th centuries, many with beautiful mosaic floors. There is a place that looks like a sawmill from Jerash, showing how people used water power to cut wood or stone, which was invented in the 3rd century BC. They turned the spinning motion of the mill into a back-and-forth motion using a crankshaft; other good examples can be seen in Hierapolis and Ephesus.

Archaeological museums

Jerash has two museums that show important old objects and tell the story of the city's long history. The older museum, called the Jerash Archaeological Museum, is located on a hill near the center of the city. It has many items found in Jerash, from very old times up until the Islamic period. One special display includes small statues of the Muses, found in 2016, and a well-preserved lead coffin from long ago.

The Jerash Visitor Center is a newer museum that shows how the city changed over time. It talks about the city's growth, daily life, and more. The center also has more statues found in 2016, including images of Zeus, Aphrodite, and a marble head thought to be the Roman Empress Julia Domna.

Modern Jerash

Jerash has grown a lot in the last century, especially because many people visit the city for tourism. It is now the second-most popular place for tourists to see in Jordan, just after the ruins of Petra. The old buildings on the west side of the city have been protected, while the newer part of the city spreads out to the east.

Jerash has people from many different backgrounds. Most people are Arabs, but there are also small groups of Kurds, Circassians, and Armenians. Many years ago, people from far away came to live in Jerash. In 1885, people called Circassians were given land to farm there. Later, people who had to leave their homes in Palestine also came to Jerash in 1948 and 1967.

By 2015, the city had grown to have 50,745 people.

Demographics

Jerash Sports Club

The Jerash Sports Club started in 1972. It became a place where people could enjoy sports, culture, and social activities. The club was good at chess and won a big competition in 1979. One of its best players was Mr. Hisham Al-Zaghal.

Culture and entertainment

Since 1981, the old city of Jerash has hosted the Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts, a three-week-long summer program of dance, music, and theatrical performances.

The Roman Army and Chariot Experience at the hippodrome in Jerash shows forty-five legionaries in full armor demonstrating Roman army drills and battle tactics, ten gladiators in fighting scenes, and several Roman chariots racing in a classic seven-lap competition around the ancient hippodrome.

Education

Jerash is home to two universities: Jerash Private University and Philadelphia University. These schools offer many opportunities for learning and growth.

Tourism

Many people visit the ancient city of Jerash. In 2005, over 200,000 tourists came to see its old buildings. The Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts happens every summer. It includes poetry, theater, music, and other art shows. The festival takes place in Jerash’s old ruins, which are from Roman times. In 2008, a bigger event called the Jordan Festival started, but the Jerash Festival returned because it was special in its own way. Jerash is about 48 km north of Amman, the capital city.