"Jarash" a Jarash Travel Page by leffe3

Jarash is, quite simply, extraordinary. If it was anywhere else in the world, it would probably be the prime attraction. But Jordan also has Petra....

Its approx 50kms north of Amman. Amazingly, in the new town surrounding the site there are no hotels. So most people travel for the day out of Amman. As a result, unless you time it wrongly and end up with a series of tour buses, chances are that you'll have the place almost entirely to yourself.

As one of the cities of the Greek Decapolis, and, later, an outpost of the Roman Empire, Jarash was an important town for about 500 years (300 BC- 250 AD), gaining its wealth from the important trade with the Nabateans and Petra. At its peak, it is estimated that the population reached approx 15,000. But, like Petra, the city declined in importance with the onset of new sea trade routes from the Far East to Rome. Like Petra, it suffered invasion, earthquakes and was briefly garrisoned by the Crusaders.
After their withdrawal the city was deserted and became lost (to the sands of the desert) and was not rediscovered until 1878. The first archaelogical digs began in 1925. The ancient city is excellently well preserved due to its being buried in the sand for centuries.