Esther's photos with the keyword: Gerasa

Jerash, Jordan "Jerash is the site of the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. Ancient Greek inscriptions from the city as well as literary sources from both Iamblichus and the Etymologicum Magnum support that the city was founded by Alexander the Great or his general Perdiccas, who settled aged Macedonian soldiers there (γῆρας - gēras means "old age" in Ancient Greek). This took place during the spring of 331 BC, when Alexander left Egypt, crossed Syria and then went to Mesopotamia... Jerash is considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East.... Recent excavations show that Jerash was already inhabited during the Bronze Age (3200 BC - 1200 BC). After the Roman conquest in 63 BC, Jerash and the land surrounding it were annexed by the Roman province of Syria, and later joined the Decapolis cities. In AD 90, Jerash was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia, which included the city of Philadelphia (modern day Amman). The Romans ensured security and peace in this area, which enabled its people to devote their efforts and time to economic development and encouraged civic building activity. In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity. In AD 106, the Emperor Trajan constructed roads throughout the province, and more trade came to Jerash. The Emperor Hadrian visited Jerash in AD 129-130. The triumphal arch (or Arch of Hadrian) was built to celebrate his visit. A remarkable Latin inscription records a religious dedication set up by members of the imperial mounted bodyguard wintering there. The city finally reached a size of about 800,000 square meters within its walls. The Persian invasion in AD 614 caused the rapid decline of Jerash. However, the city continued to flourish during the Umayyad Period, as shown by recent excavations. In AD 749, a major earthquake destroyed much of Jerash and its surroundings. During the period of the Crusades, some of the monuments were converted to fortresses, including the Temple of Artemis. Small settlements continued in Jerash during the Ayyubid, Mamluk Sultanate, and Ottoman periods. Excavation and restoration of Jerash has been almost continuous since the 1920s." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerash AIMG 3676

Jerash, Jordan "Jerash is the site of the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. Ancient Greek inscriptions from the city as well as literary sources from both Iamblichus and the Etymologicum Magnum support that the city was founded by Alexander the Great or his general Perdiccas, who settled aged Macedonian soldiers there (γῆρας - gēras means "old age" in Ancient Greek). This took place during the spring of 331 BC, when Alexander left Egypt, crossed Syria and then went to Mesopotamia... Jerash is considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East.... Recent excavations show that Jerash was already inhabited during the Bronze Age (3200 BC - 1200 BC). After the Roman conquest in 63 BC, Jerash and the land surrounding it were annexed by the Roman province of Syria, and later joined the Decapolis cities. In AD 90, Jerash was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia, which included the city of Philadelphia (modern day Amman). The Romans ensured security and peace in this area, which enabled its people to devote their efforts and time to economic development and encouraged civic building activity. In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity. In AD 106, the Emperor Trajan constructed roads throughout the province, and more trade came to Jerash. The Emperor Hadrian visited Jerash in AD 129-130. The triumphal arch (or Arch of Hadrian) was built to celebrate his visit. A remarkable Latin inscription records a religious dedication set up by members of the imperial mounted bodyguard wintering there. The city finally reached a size of about 800,000 square meters within its walls. The Persian invasion in AD 614 caused the rapid decline of Jerash. However, the city continued to flourish during the Umayyad Period, as shown by recent excavations. In AD 749, a major earthquake destroyed much of Jerash and its surroundings. During the period of the Crusades, some of the monuments were converted to fortresses, including the Temple of Artemis. Small settlements continued in Jerash during the Ayyubid, Mamluk Sultanate, and Ottoman periods. Excavation and restoration of Jerash has been almost continuous since the 1920s." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerash AIMG 3672

Jerash, Jordan "Jerash is the site of the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. Ancient Greek inscriptions from the city as well as literary sources from both Iamblichus and the Etymologicum Magnum support that the city was founded by Alexander the Great or his general Perdiccas, who settled aged Macedonian soldiers there (γῆρας - gēras means "old age" in Ancient Greek). This took place during the spring of 331 BC, when Alexander left Egypt, crossed Syria and then went to Mesopotamia... Jerash is considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East.... Recent excavations show that Jerash was already inhabited during the Bronze Age (3200 BC - 1200 BC). After the Roman conquest in 63 BC, Jerash and the land surrounding it were annexed by the Roman province of Syria, and later joined the Decapolis cities. In AD 90, Jerash was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia, which included the city of Philadelphia (modern day Amman). The Romans ensured security and peace in this area, which enabled its people to devote their efforts and time to economic development and encouraged civic building activity. In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity. In AD 106, the Emperor Trajan constructed roads throughout the province, and more trade came to Jerash. The Emperor Hadrian visited Jerash in AD 129-130. The triumphal arch (or Arch of Hadrian) was built to celebrate his visit. A remarkable Latin inscription records a religious dedication set up by members of the imperial mounted bodyguard wintering there. The city finally reached a size of about 800,000 square meters within its walls. The Persian invasion in AD 614 caused the rapid decline of Jerash. However, the city continued to flourish during the Umayyad Period, as shown by recent excavations. In AD 749, a major earthquake destroyed much of Jerash and its surroundings. During the period of the Crusades, some of the monuments were converted to fortresses, including the Temple of Artemis. Small settlements continued in Jerash during the Ayyubid, Mamluk Sultanate, and Ottoman periods. Excavation and restoration of Jerash has been almost continuous since the 1920s." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerash AIMG 3678

The North Theater in Gerash, Joradan was "[b]uilt in about AD 165 and enlarged in 235, it was most likely used for government meetings rather than artistic performances. Originally it had 14 rows of seats with two vaulted passageways leading to the front of theatre, as well as five internal arched corridors leading to the upper rows. Many of the seats are inscribed with the names of delegates who voted in the city council. Like many of the grand monuments at Jerash, the North Theatre was destroyed by earthquakes and then partially dismantled for later Byzantine and Umayyad building projects. However, in recent years it has been magnificently restored and still maintains a capacity of about 2000 people. The theatre may not have been used for performances but there’s still plenty of rhythm in the design details, with round niches and inverted scallop shells, and exuberant carvings of musicians and dancers at the base of the stairs." www.lonelyplanet.com/jordan/jerash-and-the-north/jerash/sights/other/north-theatre AIMG 3663

Temple of Artemis - Jerash, Jordan "Artemis was the patron goddess of the city and was highly esteemed by the Hellenistic population of Gerasa, while the Semitic part of the population preferred Zeus. Construction of the temple was finished in CE 150, during the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius. The building had a hexastyle portico with twelve columns, of which eleven are still standing. Corinthian capitals decorating the columns are very well preserved. The temple walls had three entrances decorated with three Corinthian pilasters. The Temple of Artemis supposedly was the most beautiful and important temple of ancient Gerasa, containing fine marble paneling and a richly decorated cult statue within the cella. In the early 12th century the temple was converted into a fortress by a garrison stationed in the area by the Zahir ad-Din Toghtekin, atabeg of Damascus. Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem, captured and burned the fortress in CE 1121-1122. The inner faces of the temple walls still clearly show the effect of the great fire. The temple, along with other ruins in the area of Gerasa, was excavated by Clarence Stanley Fisher and his expedition in 1930s." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis,_Jerash AIMG 3661

Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3669

Mosaics in the Church of St. John the Baptist - Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3651

Thistle - Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3646

Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3654

The North Theater in Gerash, Joradan was "[b]uilt in about AD 165 and enlarged in 235, it was most likely used for government meetings rather than artistic performances. Originally it had 14 rows of seats with two vaulted passageways leading to the front of theatre, as well as five internal arched corridors leading to the upper rows. Many of the seats are inscribed with the names of delegates who voted in the city council. Like many of the grand monuments at Jerash, the North Theatre was destroyed by earthquakes and then partially dismantled for later Byzantine and Umayyad building projects. However, in recent years it has been magnificently restored and still maintains a capacity of about 2000 people. The theatre may not have been used for performances but there’s still plenty of rhythm in the design details, with round niches and inverted scallop shells, and exuberant carvings of musicians and dancers at the base of the stairs." www.lonelyplanet.com/jordan/jerash-and-the-north/jerash/sights/other/north-theatre Jordan inherited its interest in bagpipes from the British Army. Pipers at the North Theater play for tips. AIMG 3632

The North Theater in Gerash, Joradan was "[b]uilt in about AD 165 and enlarged in 235, it was most likely used for government meetings rather than artistic performances. Originally it had 14 rows of seats with two vaulted passageways leading to the front of theatre, as well as five internal arched corridors leading to the upper rows. Many of the seats are inscribed with the names of delegates who voted in the city council. Like many of the grand monuments at Jerash, the North Theatre was destroyed by earthquakes and then partially dismantled for later Byzantine and Umayyad building projects. However, in recent years it has been magnificently restored and still maintains a capacity of about 2000 people. The theatre may not have been used for performances but there’s still plenty of rhythm in the design details, with round niches and inverted scallop shells, and exuberant carvings of musicians and dancers at the base of the stairs." www.lonelyplanet.com/jordan/jerash-and-the-north/jerash/sights/other/north-theatre AIMG 3634

The North Theater in Gerash, Joradan was "[b]uilt in about AD 165 and enlarged in 235, it was most likely used for government meetings rather than artistic performances. Originally it had 14 rows of seats with two vaulted passageways leading to the front of theatre, as well as five internal arched corridors leading to the upper rows. Many of the seats are inscribed with the names of delegates who voted in the city council. Like many of the grand monuments at Jerash, the North Theatre was destroyed by earthquakes and then partially dismantled for later Byzantine and Umayyad building projects. However, in recent years it has been magnificently restored and still maintains a capacity of about 2000 people. The theatre may not have been used for performances but there’s still plenty of rhythm in the design details, with round niches and inverted scallop shells, and exuberant carvings of musicians and dancers at the base of the stairs." www.lonelyplanet.com/jordan/jerash-and-the-north/jerash/sights/other/north-theatre AIMG 3638

Oval Forum - Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3624

Oval Forum - Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3623

Oval Forum - Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3621

Temple of Zeus, 162 AD - Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3618

Temple of Zeus, 162 AD - Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3617

Jerash, Jordan AIMG 3616