Jerash is a city in Jordan, north of the capital Amman. Jerash is famous for the ruins of the walled Greco-Roman settlement of Gerasa just outside of the modern city.
The Jerash ruins include the Hadrian’s Arch (2nd century CE), the Hippodrome, Cardo Maximus, the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis, and the huge Roman Oval Forum (with 56 columns) to name a few.
The Jerash Archaeological Museum, one of the oldest museums in Jordan, displays artifacts excavated from the site.
I visited Jordan and the spectacular Jerash Roman ruins were one of the highlights of my trip. Jordan has a rich history, the country is a wonderful mix of ancient and modern.
Certainly, before I visited Jordan I didn’t know much about the country but I did know there would be an abundance of historical sites to visit.
Until fairly recently not many people visited Jordan for vacation however in 2019 over 5 million tourists visited Jordan.
Considering the vast number of historical and archaeological sites in the area it is a great choice for learning more about the Middle East by visiting the region.
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Jerash Ruins Tour
Jerash is north of Amman and contains the best preserved Roman ruins outside of Italy and you could easily spend a day wandering the ruins. Allow for at least 2 to 4 hours to tour around the ruins and consider hiring a guide for your visit.
Certainly one of the best day trips from Amman is a tour of the Jerash ruins. To tour the ruins you’ll need a car to drive there, from Amman to Jerash is about 1 hour.
List of Jerash Ruins
Besides the Roman ruins in Jerash there are other structures that you can view at the site. Here is a list of 12 of the top ruins to visit at Jerash.
- Cardo Maximus
- Cathedral Complex
- Church of St Cosmos & St Damianus
- Hadrian’s Arch
- Hippodrome
- North Tetrapylon
- North Theatre
- The Nyphaeum
- Oval Forum
- South Theatre
- Temple of Artemis
- Temple of Zeus
History of Romans in Jerash
Under Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus), the Romans conquered Jordan and the neighboring countries of Syria and Palestine around 63 BCE and built temples, theatres, and other structures.
The Romans ruled for area for four centuries until the split of the Roman Empire in 324 CE when the Byzantine Empire (also known as the Eastern Roman Empire) controlled the region for another 300 years.
Other Historical Sites in Jordan
- Roman Theatre in Amman is a 6,000 seat, 2nd century theatre
- South of Amman is Karak Castle built by King Baldwin I of Jerusalem
- Bethany Beyond the Jordan (Al-Maghtas) UNESCO World Heritage Site where religious scholars believe Jesus was baptized
- Madaba with it’s ancient mosaics, including a 6th century map of the Holy Land on the floor of St George’s Church.
- Mount Nebo is the site where Moses was shown the promised land
- Petra is only a 3-hour drive from Amman, it’s the most famous UNESCO site in Jordan
The official name of Jordan is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Flying to Jordan you will land in the capital, Amman, the most populous city in Jordan.
After spending a week exploring Amman with my boyfriend we rented a car and drove to Petra for a few days. Amman to Petra is a great road trip and it only takes three to four hours depending on which route you take.
Petra is now the most famous of Jordan’s ancient sites thanks to several movies filmed there, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The city carved into stone by the Nabateans is now a key tourist attraction in Jordan.