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Jerash: Exploring the Ancient Roman City

A wonderful surprise on our trip to Jordan was the ancient Roman city of Jerash, located just north of Amman. The city was mostly intact and had survived earthquakes and the development of the modern city beside it. The preservation of the city was absolutely incredible. We had a wonderful time exploring what was left of the ancient ruins. It really is a highlight, among all the places we’ve seen in the world!

Main road through Jerash

About Jerash

Jerash is an ancient city which has been occupied for over 6,500 years. It could be as old as 9,000 years based on some human remains found in the area. In Roman times it was known as Gerasa and may have been founded by Alexander the Great. It was only recently discovered in the 20th century after being buried for years under the sand. The city is still being excavated to this day. Modern Jerash has been carefully separated from the ancient ruins in an effort to preserve them and lies to the east of the ancient city, separated by a wall.

Temple of Zeus from the main road

Getting in

The ticket office is not right at the entrance to the city. You will need to go into a modern souq nearby and obtain your tickets there. At the time they were 8JD/person. You can also pay an extra 20JD for a guide at the entrance. If you read up on the history of Jerash before your visit you won’t need a guide.

Also, don’t let the vendors in the souq distract you! Their merchandise is beautiful but it is often overpriced. You will need to haggle for quite some time to get fair prices. I would recommend you spend your time in the ancient city itself. It was honestly the most intact ancient Roman city I have ever come across, next to the ruins in Italy.

Hadrian’s Gate: the entrance to Jerash

The city of Jerash: What to see

We passed by Hadrian’s Arch (built in AD 129) and entered by the south entrance through a strikingly beautiful gate with three openings. The larger middle opening was for horses and carriages and the outer two openings were for people passing by on foot.

The streets were still very much intact. I am always amazed by Roman roads! There were (thankfully) only a few vendors around the city, but they may try to sell you a small water for $2. It’s always best (and cheapest) to have your own.

Andreas checking out the view from the Temple of Zeus

The hippodrome was one of our first stops, a place where chariot races were held. Once again, Roman architecture proved to last through the ages as the entire hippodrome was still intact, including most of the seats.

After continuing the walk along the main street after the hippodrome, the Temple of Zeus can be seen towering over the ancient ruins. The giant pillars are also still standing. If you are up for a scramble, try and climb to the top of the ruins and survey the city below. This is by far the best spot in Jerash, with a great view of everything, including the modern city beyond the main road.

Karis and the towering columns in the Temple of Zeus

Other places to see in Jerash

Also impressive is the theatre, which sat over 5,000 occupants. It is mostly intact and required a bit of a steep scramble to climb up to the top seats and survey the area below. There is a special spot in the main area on the floor where you can speak and be heard by everyone in the arena without raising your voice. While we were there a few Jordanian bagpipers entertained us with Jordanian and Scottish music.

Jerash’s city center

There are other places to explore which are not nearly as magnificent but are still a testimony to the architectural prowess of the ancient Romans. These sites include the Temple of Artemis and yet another, smaller theater. There are also the remains of churches, a synagogue, and beautiful Byzantine-style mosaics.

In the center of ancient Jerash is a huge colonnaded area. It has stone streets and the remnants of a large fountain in the center. You can still see the ruts worn into the stone by the chariots all throughout the city.

What to expect

Be aware that there is very little shade and the city can get hot in the afternoon hours, even in cooler months. While we were visiting in the morning hours there were (thankfully) very few vendors. If you do need anything you can buy it at the souq before you enter. We could have easily spent a few hours climbing around and exploring every ruin. I would plan on a maximum of 3-4 hours for your visit.

What to bring

• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Water
• Snacks
• Camera
• Conservative clothing (Jordan is a conservative country)

Have you been to Jerash? Do you share the same passion we do for Roman ruins? Tell us what you think about ancient cities below!