The archaeological site of Jerash, in northern Jordan, is one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world outside Italy. Known in antiquity as Gerasa, it was part of the Decapolis, a league of ten Hellenistic and Roman cities that flourished in the Near East after the Roman conquest in 63 BC. Under Roman rule, the city prospered and developed an impressive urban landscape filled with temples, theatres, colonnaded streets and monumental plazas.
Jerash reached its golden age between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. The visit of Emperor Hadrian in AD 129 was commemorated with the monumental Arch of Hadrian, and the city expanded with major public buildings such as the Oval Forum, the colonnaded Cardo Maximus, two theatres, and sanctuaries dedicated to Zeus and Artemis. Because of the remarkable preservation of these remains, Jerash is often called the “Pompeii of the Middle East.” From the 4th century onward, Gerasa became an important Christian center, with at least fourteen Byzantine churches, many decorated with beautiful mosaic floors. Among them is the Cathedral of St. Mary, built on the ruins of an earlier Roman temple.
The region also holds spiritual significance in the Christian tradition. The land of the Gerasenes or Gadarenes, associated with the Decapolis, appears in the Gospel narrative where Jesus casts demons out of a man and they enter a herd of pigs that rush into the water (Mark 5:1–20). While the exact location is debated, the episode reflects the biblical landscape of the Decapolis region to which Gerasa belonged. Today Jerash is one of Jordan’s most important archaeological attractions, second only to Petra, offering a remarkable glimpse into the urban life of the Roman Near East.
- Address
Jerash Visitor Center, Jerash, Jordan - Web
https://international.visitjordan.com/wheretogo/jerash - Visiting Hours
From October to March, everyday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. From June to September everyday from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm. From April to May from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm. Ramadan from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. - What to see
Oval Forum and Cardo Maximus, Temple of Artemis, Hadrian’s Arch.
