Jerash
In August 2015, an archaeological team from the University of Jordan unearthed two human skulls at a site called Tal Abu Sowan. These remains date back to the Neolithic period between 7500 BC and 5500 BC. This discovery provides solid evidence that humans inhabited this region of Jordan during that ancient era. The rarity of such finds is significant because experts estimate only about twelve sites worldwide contain similar human remains from that time. Nearby settlements like Ain Ghazal in Amman help contextualize these early inhabitants within the broader landscape of the Fertile Crescent. Evidence of Bronze Age settlements also exists in the region dating from 3200 BC to 1200 BC.
Ancient Greek inscriptions suggest Alexander the Great founded this city as Gerasa around the spring of 331 BC. He allegedly settled aged Macedonian soldiers there while crossing Syria en route to Mesopotamia after leaving Egypt. Other historical sources attribute the founding to Seleucid King Antioch IV or Ptolemy II of Egypt. In the early 80s BC Hasmonean King Alexander Jannaeus besieged and conquered the city incorporating it into the Kingdom of Judea. Public buildings in Gerasa may have been destroyed during that conflict before Roman conquest arrived in 63 BC. Pompey attached the city to the Decapolis a league of Hellenistic cities enjoying considerable autonomy under Roman protection. By AD 106 Geras was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia which included Petra and Bostra. Emperor Hadrian visited Gerasa in AD 129, 130 leading to the construction of the Arch of Hadrian to celebrate his arrival. The city reached great prosperity in the second half of the 1st century AD with trade flowing through newly constructed roads by Emperor Trajan.
A large Christian community lived in Jerash during the Byzantine period building at least fourteen churches between the 4th and 7th centuries. Beneath the foundations of a church built in AD 530 archaeologists discovered a mosaic floor with ancient Greek and Hebrew-Aramaic inscriptions. Scholars suggest this place was originally a synagogue converted into a church based on the presence of the Hebrew-Aramaic script. The city finally reached its maximum size within walls covering approximately one square kilometer. In AD 614 Persian Sassanids invaded the region but the Byzantine army defeated them later in 636 at the Battle of the Yarmuk. These territories then became part of the Rashidun Caliphate. A devastating earthquake struck in 749 destroying much of Jerash and its surroundings. Subsequent earthquakes contributed to additional destruction over time. The Umayyad Caliphate saw the city flourish again with numerous shops issuing coins minted under the name Jerash in Arabic.
In the early 12th century Zahir ad-Din Toghtekin atabeg of Damascus ordered a garrison of forty men to build a fortification. This fortress likely stood at the highest point of the city walls in the north-eastern hills rather than inside the temple of Artemis as often assumed. Baldwin II King of Jerusalem captured and burned the fortress between 1121 and 1122. The Crusaders immediately abandoned Jerash and withdrew to Sakib which marked the eastern border of the settlement. Small settlements continued during the Mamluk Sultanate particularly in the Northwest Quarter around the Temple of Zeus. Excavations since 2011 have uncovered large concentrations of Middle Islamic structures and pottery from that era. In 1596 Jerash appeared in an Ottoman census as Jaras with a population of twelve Muslim households paying taxes on agricultural products totaling 6,000 akçe. By 1838 the site was described by observers simply as a ruin before modern excavations began.
The ancient city has been gradually revealed through a series of excavations starting in 1925. Recent findings include a mass grave excavated in 2025 attesting archaeologically and genetically to the presence of the Plague of Justinian in this region. Archaeologists found a unique group of small statues identified as the Muses of the Olympic pantheon at Jerash in 2016. These Roman statues were discovered in fragmentary condition and partially restored for display. A well-preserved lead sarcophagus dated to the late 4th to 5th centuries features both Christian and pagan symbolism inside the museum. The Jerash Visitor Center presents further sculptures including restored statues of Zeus and Aphrodite alongside a marble head thought to represent Empress Julia Domna. At least fourteen marble sculptures were discovered in the excavation of the Eastern Baths of Gerasa during 2018 including images of Aphrodite and Zeus.
Approximately 330,000 visitors arrived in Jerash in 2018 making it one of the most visited sites in Jordan behind only Petra. The city hosts the Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts which attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year since 1981. This three-week summer program includes dance music and theatrical performances held within the ancient ruins. Performances feature forty-five legionaries in full armor displaying Roman army drill and battle tactics at the hippodrome. Ten gladiators fight to the death while several Roman chariots compete in a classical seven-lap race around the ancient track. In 2008 authorities launched the nationwide Jordan Festival but later revived the Jerash Festival as its substitute proved insufficient for the intended message. The festival site lies within the ancient ruins some dating back to 63 BC near the capital city Amman located 48 kilometers away.
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Common questions
When was Jerash founded according to ancient Greek inscriptions?
Ancient Greek inscriptions suggest Alexander the Great founded this city as Gerasa around the spring of 331 BC. Other historical sources attribute the founding to Seleucid King Antioch IV or Ptolemy II of Egypt.
What is the population history of Jerash in Ottoman times?
In 1596 Jerash appeared in an Ottoman census as Jaras with a population of twelve Muslim households paying taxes on agricultural products totaling 6,000 akçe. By 1838 the site was described by observers simply as a ruin before modern excavations began.
How many visitors came to Jerash in 2018 and what festival does it host?
Approximately 330,000 visitors arrived in Jerash in 2018 making it one of the most visited sites in Jordan behind only Petra. The city hosts the Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts which attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year since 1981.
Who discovered human skulls at Tal Abu Sowan in August 2015?
An archaeological team from the University of Jordan unearthed two human skulls at a site called Tal Abu Sowan in August 2015. These remains date back to the Neolithic period between 7500 BC and 5500 BC.
When did the devastating earthquake destroy much of Jerash?
A devastating earthquake struck in 749 destroying much of Jerash and its surroundings. Subsequent earthquakes contributed to additional destruction over time.