Hazim pointed out, as we inched through urban gridlock, that the reason they do not have lane lines marked on the streets is that it would be a waste of paint. Traffic signs in general are merely suggestions.
Jerash is only 45 miles from Syria. It's one of the most complete ancient Roman cities in the world. The archeological site we are visiting covers a time span of a thousand years. The area in general has had an unbroken chain of human occupation for over 6,500 years.
Map of the site (for those, like me, who like an oriented sense of perspective)
Visitors to the site enter through Hadrian's Gate, built for the emperor's visit in 129 AD. He came 5000 miles to visit the city, showing its importance as one of the 10 cities (the Decapolis) protecting the trade routes and eastern boundaries of the Roman Empire.
A large hippodrome, built in the 2nd century to entertain the common citizens, was capable of seating half the total population of 30,000. Rome was good at keeping its citizens occupied with entertainments for the masses (think NASCAR, NFL, etc). This picture is taken about halfway down the track, near the middle barrier around which the chariots would race. Seating for more highbrow entertainments in the theatres could accommodate only 3,000, a tenth of the population
The beautiful and expansive Oval Plaza is surrounded by columns with ionic capitals, showing that these remain from the Greek city, from 300 - 63 BC.
The Romans, who redesigned and built extensively at Jerash favored Corinthian columns. Most of the city is clearly Roman in layout and design. The Byzantines came in the 4th century, followed by Muslims in the 8th. The earthquake of 749 AD, which caused devastation throughout the Levant, destroyed Jerash The ruins, covered in sand and rubble lay undisturbed until excavations began in the 1930s. Today about a third of the city is cleared, a third has disappeared under modern Jerash, and a third remains to be unearthed.
From the Oval Plaza, the collonaded main street (called the Cardo) runs a half mile along a north-south access. The street is paved, with wide sidewalks and a drainage system built beneath. The limestone paving blocks were set on a bias so that wheels would not get caught between the stones, and still show tracks carved by the chariot wheels. The street was lined with a market of little shops.
The intricacy of the carvings is amazing.
The nymphaeum was the public drinking water supply. The semicircular building had an arched roof covering the pool of water stored above the decorative basin.
Details of the nymphaeum
Water ran continuously from lion head openings along the front wall, and drained down through openings like this one with 4 carved swimming fish.
The overflow was collected and diverted to the baths. A model of Roman engineering efficiency, nothing was wasted.
The second century southern theatre (there is also a smaller, restored theatre at the northern end of Jerash) withstood the earthquake and is in its original form. Only the top part of the curtain wall behind the stage is damaged. The acoustics are perfect. Seats for 3,000 rise in a 45 degree angle. As with nearly all Roman theatres, the seats faced north to allow for the best lighting conditions.
We were treated (?) to a brief impromptu concert with an instrument that originally came from Syria. A slightly modified form is now more commonly associated with Scotland.
The theatre can be entered from stage level, while the upper tiers can also be accessed through tunnels similar to the design of our contemporary sports arenas.
Behind the top row of seats was a fine view over the Oval Plaza and the modern city of Jerash, and the adjacent temple of Zeus.
We walked across a relatively unexcavated area to reach the ruins of the sprawling Temple of Artemis. Much of it was destroyed in the earthquake. The whole complex was to be visible from the Cardo, and look like this:
Today the columns and platform for the top tier have been restored. A smattering of the columns for the other levels can also be seen. It was an immense, impressive, beautiful design.
View of the Temple of Artemis from the side
And from the front.
A huge Byzantine church complex was being restored nearby.
Note the carved cross on the foreground. The distant theatre is visible through the columns.
We will be visiting the ruins of a couple Roman sites in Cyprus. I think Jerash will offer steep competition.
We had lunch at a nearby Lebanese restaurant, then visited a pastry shop and spice store. Hazim had the bus pull over for a special photo stop.
My obligatory KFC photo.
Our last destination today was.the Amman Citadel. The Citadel sits high on a hill overlooking the oldest parts of the city. It includes archeological remnants of ancient cultures, from a bronze age cave to a Roman temple. The small Jordan Archeological Museum has a nice collection of pottery, funeral items, statuary and household items, labeled in both Arabic and English, from Neolithic to Islamic times. It used to house some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, but they've been relocated to The Jordan Museum.
The most surprising bit was this thousand year old food storage system.
Amman is possibly the oldest city of earth. The first humans to leave Africa passed through this area, and there is evidence of Neolithic habitation from at least 10,000 BC. The Ammonites were here in biblical times. The Greeks built a temple on the site of the Ammonites sacrificial altar. The Romans placed their Temple of Hercules on the same place. Byzantine Christians and Muslims followed.
Temple of Hercules, with fragments of a hand and elbow from the huge statue of the demigod.
From the Citadel we could see the largest (restored) Roman theatre in Jordan, seating 6,000.
A collection of stelae captured the region's long history and succession of names.
And so back to our hotel for a final farewell dinner. We exchanged contact information with a family we may see in Tasmania, and a mother-daughter pair we've enjoyed spending time with. And of course, a fond farewell to Hazim.
I had never heard of Jerash. So interesting!
ReplyDelete