Jerash – Visiting Gerasa, one of the Largest Roman Ruins in the Middle East

This ancient Hellenic Settlement in northern Jordan was one of the most important in the Roman Levant. Although ruined and left untended in a state of abandon, these leftover are particularly impressive. To some they are a “Pompeii of the Middle East”. For the nomad or a lone shepherd using it as a camp for the night this must have been an unforgettable experience. Lying among the colonnaded arcades, under the clear Jordanian sky must have must have created a tantalizing sense of wonder at the works of a lost civilization. Earthquakes may have levelled the city, but they couldn’t erase it!

Table of Contents

• Driving To Jerash
• History of the Site
  • Hellenistic Period
  • Roman Empire
  • Byzantine Empire
  • Islamic, Crusader and Circassian Era
• Exploring Jerash
  • Roman Bridge Eastern Baths and the Caucasian City
• The Ruins of Gerasa
  • Arch of Hadrian
  • The Hippodrome
  • The South Gate
• Oval Plaza (The Forum)
• Temple of Zeus
• The Cardo, Macellum and Archaeological Museum
  • Decumanus
  • Nymphaeum
  • Church of the Propylaea
  • Temple of Artemis
  • North Theater, Church of Bishop Isaiah and the West Baths
  • Church John the Baptist, The Cathedral, Baths of Placcus and Church of St. Theodore
  • Roman Amphitheater
• Conclusion

Driving To Jerash

Driving in Jordan involves all sorts of twists and turns. The mountainous country has a surprisingly developed highway system and the radio plays a strange combo of western and Arabic music!

You will likely encounter many herds of goats along the way! Due to the winter season the hills of northn Jordan were flush with a lush green grass, a much more pleasant sight then the arid conditions of the summer.

The town of Jerash itself is a typical Arab town, and little is left to see outside of the ruins. Nevertheless I wanted to take a quick drive through before hitting the Jeresh Ruins parking lot.

History of the Site

Jerash is the modern name for the city what has been built around the ruins. The Greco-Roman city was known as Gerasa but was also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River.

Hellenistic Period

The city may have been founded by Alexander the Great as a settlement for aging Macedonian veterans in 331 BC. However, this is disputed by some that attribute the founding to either, Antioch IV Seleucid or Ptolemy II of Egypt. Both of these Hellenic kingdoms were founded as offspring of Alexander’s conquests by his generals after his death.

Roman Empire

In 63 B.C it was conquered by the Roman Empire and was annexed to their province of Syria. It quickly joined the Decapolis league of cities, along with nearby Ammon (Amman), an economic and cultural alliance between Hellenic cities of the southern Levant. During Roman rule the city would grow to its largest extent and was occupied mostly by Syrians with a small Jewish community.

The city was transferred to the province of Arabia in 106 A.D, along with most of Syria and Jordan. The city’s peak came in 106 A.D when the Emperor Trajan constructed roads throughout the province, leading to a boom in commerce and more trade came to Jerash.

Emperor Hadrian visited Jerash in AD 129–130, a testament to its importance during the second century. The city was the birthplace of mathematician Nicomachus of Gerasa during this time.

Byzantine Empire

After the split of the Roman Empire into an Eastern and Western Empire, Gerasa was incorporated into the Byzantine Empire where it continued to flourish, reaching its maximum extent. This was not too last, as the city was taken by the Sassanid Persians in 614.

Not long after the Byzantine army was defeated in the battle of the Yarmouk river and the city became part of the Muslim Umayyad Caliphate.

Islamic, Crusader and Circassian Era

The Umayyads had a few good years in the city, even minting coins before disaster struct. In 749 the city was leveled by an earthquake and would not recover. The crusader king Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem would take a Muslim castle located within the ruins and burn it sometime in 1121–1122.

Small settlements have existed around the ruins in both Ottoman and Mamluck times but they are of no importance. A Ottoman census lists 12 families 1596 and a separate 1838 reference only marks it as an empty ruin.

The Circassians, a displaced Muslim people from the Caucasus would settle in the Roman ruins of Jordanian cities under the late Ottoman Empire. The arrived in 1878 and form the nucleus of what the town of Jerash is today.

Exploring Jerash

The modern town to Jerash is separated from the ruins via a deep gorge carrying a stream, this geographical feature is crossed by a restored Roman brige. See below for more information. It is surmised the the old town encompassed elements on both sides of this gorge, but primarily on the west bank and that the settlement would have been surrounded by a stone wall. You can still see the foundations of this wall if you drive around the north side of the ruins.

Roman Bridge Eastern Baths and the Caucasian City

As mentioned previously, the town of Jerash has little to offer the average visitor. I will however recommend making a stop at the old stone bridge called the south bridge, the former connection from the town (east) to the old ruins of Gerasa (west). I have heard rumblings that the hisotric connection to the Decumanus (Latin for east-west main street) will be restored by the Jordanian Government thus opening up the city to some potential tourist income. The the east side of the bridge you will find the the nucleus of the Circassian city, built around the Al Hashimi Mosque, dating from 1926. Here you will find a Hashemite (ruling familly of Jordan) plaza and the barrel vaulted ruins of the Great Eastern Baths. The 11 meter high walls are considered to be some of the best preserved bath buildings in the middle east. The main street heading east from the mosque has a few stone buildings from its early history. Make sure to check out the Al Atique market for a glimpse of the early Circassian town.

The Ruins of Gerasa

Located on a plateau above the town, the ruins are almost unspoiled of commercialism after you make your way past the small souk near the entrance (the freshly squeezed orange juice is to die for!).

Arch of Hadrian

The first structure of importance that you will see is the 11 meter tall monumental Arch of Hadrian, built in 129 to commemorate the Emperor’s visit. A grand introduction to the city indeed!

The Hippodrome

Just past Hadrian’s gate, you will find a monumental structure – the Hippodrome. In its prime this ancient arena could hold 15 000 spectators, cheering for their favorite chariot racer. It was likely built in the second or third century.

Something that is cool about this structure is that you can walk across its front archway and side walls. From the top you can admire the scope of this oval, over 245m long and 52m wide.

Off to the east side you will find the Church of Marianos, a pretty ruin with a mosaic floor. It is not as impressive as some of the other building you will find deeper into the ruins.

The South Gate

The south gate is now home to a ticket office, pull out your wallet, pay and make your way inside.

From here a passage will take you to the Roman Forum and the Temple of Zeus.

Oval Plaza (The Forum)

The focal point of Roman life, this strange oval shaped masterpiece links the cardo maximus (north-south road) with the Temple of Zeus, overlooking it.

The iconic structure 80×90 meter structure is surrounded by 56 Ionic columns and is lined with high quality limestone paving stones. The forum was considered to be a public place during roman time and would have been quite animated! The best view of the colonnade is from the Temple of Zeus above.

Temple of Zeus

At first this shrine developed around a cave, before being expanded. What you see today was largely constructed during the second century. At the forum level a staircase and podium leads up to the temple itself.

The Colonnaded structure is one of the more complete temples remaining on the site and sits just on a hill beside the upper levels of the Roman Amphitheater.

As previously mentioned, the view form the temple down to the forum is incredible. From here you can see the cardo stretch out as far as the eye can see!

The Cardo, Macellum and Archaeological Museum

The Cardo Maximus, a north-south main street, runs for 800 meters from the Forum to the North Gate of the city. Along its way you will find many of the city’s greatest buildings such as the Nymphaeum and the temple of Artemis.

Not far from the early stretches of the Cardo you will find the remains of the Macellum (an indoor market) and an archaeological museum.

Decumanus

The east west roadway runs perpendicular to the Cardo. Much like the Cardo this colonnaded boulevard. The intersection of both is called the The South Decumanus.

Nymphaeum

On the west side of the Cardo you will find this massive structure dedicated to the water nymphs. Built about AD 191 it is an imposing semi circular temple. Nymphaeums were essentially giant fountains and there was once a giant pool of water here! This is one of the best specimens of this type of structure that have seen.

Church of the Propylaea

The Church of the Propylaea is located on the east side of the Cardo at the interchange where the temple. I found it pretty interesting as from the ruins you get a great view of the new town. At the entrance of the church you will find many sections of columns stacked up.

Very little remains of this structure but from the details found in the pile I could tell that it was once a beauty.

Temple of Artemis

This temple is located at the center of the city, serving as the de-facto acropolis. The gates at the start is called the propylaeum and it is monumental. It was completed in AD 150 but the temple in the upper levels was never completed, althoug it was brought to a general level of service.

From the top of the staircase you will have a great view of the city below.

From the top of the acropolis you will see the rectangular temple. At the end of the 4th-century pagan cults were forbidden and the structure was pillaged of its marble cladding. Unlike many of the buildings in Jerash, it survived the earthquake but fell into abandon thereafter.

in front of the temple you will find Umayyad Kilns, leftovers of the Arab conquest.

North Theater, Church of Bishop Isaiah and the West Baths

In the northern half of the city, past the temple of Artemis, you will find a trio of buildings until the ruins taper off. The most impressive of which is north theater although the west baths and the Church of Isaiah are worth a look. Like the more impressive Eastern baths the West baths has barrel vaulted ceilings while the church has some floor mosaics. It can be found North Tetrapylon. The Church of Isaiah is one of 23 Byzantine churches found in the ancient city. It was built in 559 AD at the time of Bishop Isaiah.

The North Theater is a smaller version of the massive amphitheater and has 14 rows of seats, with two vaulted passageways. It was destroyed by the earthquake and pillaged for both Byzantine and Arab building project, yet much remains of it.

Church John the Baptist, The Cathedral, Baths of Placcus and Church of St. Theodore

To the south of the Temple of Artemis, you will find another cluster of religious structures. One of the my personal favourites is the church of John the Baptist dates from 533 AD.

The mosaics in the church ground floor are beautiful.

Walking though this part of of the ruins you will likely encounter many pottery shards. In many ways this is still an active archeological site.

The other two churches along with the Baths of Placcus are all located back towards the cathedral. The first is the old Jerash Cathedral St. Mary, built over the ruins of the Roman temple to Dionysus.

The other church, is that of St. Theodore date from 496.

Roman Amphitheater

Back towards the entrance of the complex, by the temple of Zeus, is the most impressive building in Jerash, the Roman Amphitheatre.

To get in you can enter though a passage at the level of the stage.

The theater stage is beautifully restored 331 BC, called the southern theater is it much bigger and elaborate than the northern one.

You may also climb up the theatre and exit up by the temple of Zeus.

There are alcoves all around, almost like a modern sports stadium. Great for crowd management!

Built during the reign of Emperor Domitian (90-92AD), the South Theater can seat more than 3000 spectators!

From the top you can get a great view of the Oval.

Conclusion

A visit to Jerash is a must for anybody with a passing interest in antiquities, or even an adventurous spirit. The massive scale of the ruin should make you thing of dedicating at least half a day to a full day exploring the site, any less would be a shame.