Jerash

Forty-eight kilometres north of Amman, Jerash preserves one of the largest and best-intact provincial Roman cities in the world. Originally named Gerasa, the settlement traces continuous human occupation back more than 6,500 years to Neolithic times. It flourished under Rome from the 1st century BC, growing to cover 80 hectares within its walls during the Byzantine era before a catastrophic earthquake in AD 749 ended occupation. Rediscovered in 1806 and excavated since 1925, Jerash offers an unparalleled window into the urban life of the Roman east.

The monumental Arch of Hadrian marks the ceremonial entrance, beyond which the elliptical Oval Forum — ringed by Ionic columns — leads onto the Cardo Maximus, the main colonnaded thoroughfare. Side streets branch to the Temple of Zeus, the towering Temple of Artemis with its earthquake-wobbling columns, two well-preserved theatres and a hippodrome where Roman cavalry displays take place today. The Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts, running since 1981, fills the ancient theatres each summer with music, dance and drama.

Jerash is a one-hour drive north of Amman and is easily combined with a visit to Ajloun Castle, 30 kilometres to the west. Most visitors spend three to five hours on site; arriving early avoids midday heat and tour-group crowds. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons, though Jerash is rewarding year-round given its temperate northern elevation.