Jerash: The Roman Pompeii of the Middle East
A curated tour of Jerash's most extraordinary Greco-Roman ruins — one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world, just 48 km north of Amman.
Trip Stops
- 1
Your grand entrance to ancient Gerasa. Built in 129–130 AD to honor Emperor Hadrian's visit, this triple-arched gateway originally stood nearly 22 meters tall — almost double its current height. Fun fact: it was meant to become the city's new southern gate for a planned urban expansion that was never built. Reconstructed in 2007, it now stands 21 meters high and is one of the largest Roman arches outside of Italy.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 2
The smallest — yet best-preserved — Roman hippodrome known to exist, measuring 265 meters long and 50 meters wide with seating for up to 15,000 spectators. Chariot races and gladiatorial contests were held here in the 2nd–3rd century AD. Fun fact: Persian Sassanid invaders repurposed it for polo games in the 7th century. Today, the Roman Army and Chariot Experience (RACE) show brings the arena back to life.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 3
One of Jerash's oldest sanctuaries, worship of Zeus on this site dates back to a nearby cave as early as 600–700 BC. The monumental temple visible today was built in 162 AD on top of an earlier 1st-century structure. Fun fact: from the temple's upper terrace you get one of the best panoramic views over the Oval Plaza and the entire ancient city. Its columns rise to 15 meters in height.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 4
Built under Emperor Domitian between 90–92 AD, this magnificent theatre seats over 3,000 spectators and is so acoustically perfect that a speaker at the center of the orchestra floor can be heard throughout the entire auditorium without raising their voice. Fun fact: local musicians regularly play traditional instruments and bagpipes here — the acoustics make it feel like a live concert every day. The stage was a two-story structure, of which the first level has been restored.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 5
The iconic heart of ancient Gerasa and one of the most photographed Roman sites in the world. This unique elliptical plaza — roughly 90 x 80 meters — is surrounded by 56 Ionic columns and dates to the 1st century AD. Fun fact: it's almost the only Roman forum in the entire empire built in an oval shape rather than the traditional rectangle, an ingenious design solution to link the Temple of Zeus with the city's main street. The original chariot wheel ruts are still visible in the limestone paving.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 6
The architectural spine of ancient Gerasa — an 800-meter straight colonnaded boulevard stretching from the Oval Plaza to the North Gate, lined by over 500 columns. Still paved with original Roman stones, you can literally feel the ruts worn by chariot wheels underfoot. Fun fact: a complete underground sewage system runs the full length of the Cardo, and the drainage holes cut into the curbs are still visible — ancient Roman engineering at its finest.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 7
Jerash's spectacular ornamental fountain, built in 191 AD and dedicated to the water nymphs. This two-story structure was lavishly decorated with marble facings on the lower level, painted stucco above, and crowned by a half-dome. Fun fact: water spouted from the mouths of seven carved lion heads into basins on the sidewalk and flowed via drains into the underground sewer system below the Cardo. It remains one of the best-preserved Roman fountains in Jordan.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 8
The crown jewel of Jerash, built between 150–170 AD on the city's highest ground and dedicated to Artemis, the patron goddess of Gerasa. Construction began after the Bar Kokhba revolt in 136 AD but was never fully completed. Fun fact: the columns of this temple are said to 'dance' — if you wedge a coin between a column base and its plinth, you can watch the 13.2-meter columns sway slightly in the wind, demonstrating the incredible precision of Roman construction. 11 of the original Corinthian columns still stand.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 9
Built in 165 AD with just 14 rows of seats for city council meetings and intimate performances, then doubled in size in 235 AD to hold 1,600 spectators. Less visited than the South Theatre, it offers a quieter, more personal experience. Fun fact: the backstage area here is more elaborate than that of the South Theatre, and the acoustic sweet spots — where your voice echoes perfectly around the entire theatre — are still easy to find. Climb to the top for a sweeping panorama of the northern city.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
- 10
Established in 1923 — originally inside a vault in the Temple of Artemis courtyard — and relocated in 1985 to a renovated rest house overlooking the Oval Plaza. Home to collections spanning the Neolithic to Mamluk periods, including pottery, glass, coins, mosaics, and precious stones. Fun fact: the museum displays a rare group of small statues of the Muses of the Olympic pantheon discovered at Jerash in 2016, along with a beautifully preserved lead sarcophagus from the 4th–5th century featuring both Christian and pagan symbols.
📍 Jerash, Jerash Governorate, Jordan
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