Jerash is a fascinating ancient Roman city that is located just 50 km from Amman, Jordan. Jerash is considered the most well preserved Roman ruins outside of Italy. It is also one of the busiest tourist sites in Jordan.
One wouldn’t expect to see such a magnificent Roman complex in the Middle East, but the Roman empire stretched far and wide at the height of its power. While recently going through old hard drives we found some long lost video footage of our time in the Middle East. I forgot that we even took footage while at Jerash, but sure enough, we had a lot of it.
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Table of Contents
Jerash a Video Journey
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Overnight Tours can be booked from Amman showcasing Jerash, Petra and Wadi Rum.
About Jerash
Jerash makes for a great day trip from Amman where you can explore the ruins and learn a bit about historic Roman culture. Dating back 6500 years
The amphitheatre, arches and plazas are in excellent condition due to the dry climate it is located in.
It was hidden for centuries under the desert sand and has only recently been excavated in the past century.
It was only rediscovered by the west in the early 1800s and excavations began in 1925.
Check out our favourite ancient cities from around the world.
I recommend hiring a guide in Amman as they can help you navigate the massive complex.
Our guide Ali helped us stay one step ahead of the crowds of tourists coming in droves on tour busses.
If you arrive on your own, hire a local guide to help you navigate the ruins, Jerash is huge and to understand the story and what you are looking at.
Jerash Tour
Your tour begins at Hadrian’s Gate an imposing arch dating back to 129 AD.
At its prime, Jerash housed 20,000 people and really began to flourish during the time of Alexander the Great. Located along the trade route, the city thrived and continued to grow until 800 AD.
- See another top site in Jordan: A Photo journey of Petra!
- Laurence of Arabia loved Jordan- Have your own experience in Wadi Rum
The History of Jerash
While inside make sure to visit the Forum, Temple of Artemis, and the North Theatre of Jerash.
All structures are beautifully restored giving you a sense of what life was like in this ancient Roman city.
After visiting Jerash, have an Eco Experience at Feynan EcoLodge
A highlight for us was the re-enactment at the Hippodrome.
Jordan has great history like here in Jerash, but it also has beautiful nature too.
Here you will be treated to a show of Roman legionnaires displaying military drills followed by gladiators fighting as they did in the days of Roman rule.
It ends with a chariot race around the hippodrome as the crowd cheers and roots for their favourite team.
For more Jordan Travel Ideas visit 10 Things to do in Jordan
The Temple of Zeus is another must see at Jerash and its yet another example of how well the city has been preserved. The stone pillars are reminiscent of Athens own Temple of Zeus and I wonder if
We have never been to a Roman ruin in Italy. I look forward to seeing the Colosseum one day, but in Jordan I got the next best thing.
The Jerash Amphitheatre
Jerash Information:
Entrance to Jerash is 10JD (approx. 14 usd)
Jerash is located 50km from Amman
Several Different companies hire day tours from Amman
We recommend hiring a private car if you can afford the extra money. It’s an excellent way to see the country. Ask at your hotel for details.
Cost of local guide at site: Approx 20JD
- See another famous site in Jordan – Petra, The Ancient City by Day
- Read Next: Petra Jordan, Lost City By Night
The pictures are so cool. I always love the historical places and after reading your post I will definitely visit there. Thanks for the sharing this article.
Thank you and glad you enjoyed it. Jerash is a pretty amazing place to visit.
Great post! thanks for the sharing.
I am planning to Visit Jordan Next month. Can you suggest any Residence over there?
There are so many places to stay. We moved nearly every day. We started at the Four Seasons Amman, which is worth the spurge. The Feynan Eco Lodge is incredible. The Holiday Inn on the Dead Sea and in Petra we stayed at the Crown Plaza. But it’s easy to find accommodation everywhere.
I heard that Jerash is one of the best preserved Roman cities. Looking at your photos, I can see it is. Pretty cool that they do reenactments – it certainly adds something different.
It looks like a lot of the old city of Marrakech O_o
Damien from http://riad-alma-marrakech.com/
Wow interesting!!this place sees worth visiting thanks for sharing!
Wonderful! I’m on the fence of doing a Jordan trip this year (its more, can I swing the finances for it). So this is perfect for my planning!