Janet Moore

Distant Horizons
350 Elm Avenue
Long Beach, CA
Tel: 562.983.8828
Fax. 562.983.8833

Travel north to Jerash, one of the best preserved roman outposts in the world. stroll the street of columns to the oval plaza and linger till sunset when the city is awash in golden light.

A visit to the spectacular Roman ruins of Jerash immediately transports the visitor two thousand years back in time. The city's many splendid monumental remains, still retain the atmosphere of the once thriving metropolis, famous in its own time for magnificent temples, amphitheaters, and plazas. From Finds at Jerash indicate that this fertile site has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

In the days of Alexander the Great (332 BC), the city grew increasingly prosperous and important until, in 63 BC, the Roman emperor Pompey conquered the region. The ancient Arabic name of Garshu was changed to Gerasa, and Jerash became part of the Roman Empire and, soon after, a member of the Decapolis.

Through agriculture, iron-ore mining at Ajloun (just to the north), and trade with the Nabataeans, Gerasa rapidly became one of the wealthiest cities in the Roman Empire. A new city plan, befitting Gerasa's status, was drawn up in the 1st Century. This design is typical of Roman provincial cities, and features a colonnaded main street intersected by two side streets, down which one can still walk today.

but it is thought to have been a loose but dynamic league of ten Graeco-Roman cities, including Philadelphia (present-day Amman), Damascus, Pella, Abila and Gadara (now Um Qais), bound by powerful commercial, political and cultural interests.

From their base in Petra, the Nabateans had exercised control over the lucrative trade in Indian silks, spices and incense, African ivory and animal hides. They levied heavy duties on these precious goods, and collected money to protect the caravans from bandits. In 106 AD, the emperor Trajan annexed the wealthy Nabataean kingdom, forming the Province of Arabia.

Now with authority over these additional riches, Gerasa commenced another burst of construction activity - many of the recently erected buildings were replaced with even grander structures embellished with marble and granite. Yet another boost in Gerasa's stature come with the visit of emperor Hadrian in 129 AD. To honor its guest, the city raised an imposing triumphal arch at the south of the city, and lavish celebrations were held. The city's prosperity continued unabated until, by the beginning of the 3rd Century, Gerasa had acquired the status of a Roman Colony.

In its heyday, Gerasa is thought to have had a population of as many as 20,000 people. They mostly spoke Greek, but used Latin for commercial and legal transactions.

The buildings which can be viewed today made up the administrative, civic and commercial center of the city. The citizens of Gerasa lived to the east, and their habitations have not been excavated.

From their base in Petra, the Nabateans had exercised control over the lucrative trade in Indian silks, spices and incense, African ivory and animal hides. They levied heavy duties on these precious goods, and collected money to protect the caravans from bandits. In 106 AD, the emperor Trajan annexed the wealthy Nabataean kingdom, forming the Province of Arabia.

Now with authority over these additional riches, Gerasa commenced another burst of construction activity - many of the recently erected buildings were replaced with even grander structures embellished with marble and granite. Yet another boost in Gerasa's stature come with the visit of emperor Hadrian in 129 AD. To honor its guest, the city raised an imposing triumphal arch at the south of the city, and lavish celebrations were held. The city's prosperity continued unabated until, by the beginning of the 3rd Century, Gerasa had acquired the status of a Roman Colony.

In its heyday, Gerasa is thought to have had a population of as many as 20,000 people. They mostly spoke Greek, but used Latin for commercial and legal transactions. The buildings which can be viewed today made up the administrative, civic and commercial center of the city. The citizens of Gerasa lived to the east, and their habitations have not been excavated.

Gerasa's prosperity could not protect it from change. As the 3rd Century progressed, and shipping replaced the overland caravans as the main route for commerce, the city began to lose control of its lucrative trade and tariffs. The trend was accelerated by continuing uprisings against the Romans -such as the destruction of the city of Palmyra in 273 AD- which made the overland route increasingly hazardous. More construction was undertaken during the reign of emperor Diocletian, around 300 AD, but this brief burst of activity was only a temporary respite in the city's decline.By the middle of the 5th Century, Gerasa had become a relatively insignificant city. However, as Christianity become the dominant religion following the conversion of emperor Constantine (early 4th Century), this period saw the construction of numerous churches in Jerash.Most of these were built in the ruins area - indeed, many churches were constructed of stones taken from pagan temples - and the remains of several can be seen today. The church-building boom continued until the Persian invasion in 614 AD, when Damascus and Jerusalem were also captured. This was closely followed by the Muslim conquest in 636 AD, as a result of which the importance of Gerasa was further weakened.

A series of earthquakes in 749 AD did serious damage the city and hastened its decline. By this date, the population was less than 4,000; and although the site was occupied in the Early Islamic period until around 800 AD, Gerasa become nothing more than a small rural settlement. Its Roman name was transformed into a new Arabic one - Jerash - derived from the ancient Semitic name. And so - despite a brief occupation by a Crusader garrison in the 12th Century - the city became lost to Western history.

The rediscovery of Jerash come about in 1806, when Ulrich Jasper Seetzen, a German traveler, come across and recognized a small section of the ruins. Buried in sand - which accounts for its remarkable state of preservation - the city has been gradually revealed through a series of excavations which commenced in 1925. Extensive programs of conservation and restoration continue to this day.

JANNA Spa & Resort - Ma'in Hot Springs of Jordan

JANNA Spa & Resort is a 5-star hotel tucked away in the famous Ma'in Hot Springs of Jordan.
The hotel is located 30 km away from the “mosaic” city of Madaba and is easily reached by car or bus. A 45 minutes drive from the Capital City of Amman, and 10 minutes drive from the Dead Sea, through the newly constructed road makes this easily accessible heaven a perfect retreat for the weekend or even longer.
One of the hotel's main attractions is the Six Senses Spa which will be operating with full new setup by the 3rd quarter of 2006.
The worldwide renowned Six Senses Spa will be offering a wide range of holistic wellness, rejuvenation and beauty treatments for Balancing Senses, administered under the guidance of expert therapists.

For more details please go here and click
 

Guide 2 Jordan click here 

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