The Walled City of Gerasa

The city, known then as Gerasa, flourished under Roman rule, becoming a primary center of the Decapolis. Its urban plan was formal and precise. The main thoroughfare was the Cardo Maximus, an 800-meter street lined with over five hundred Corinthian columns.
Early each morning, life centered around this street. Chariots and wagons passed, deepening the ruts already visible in the original paving stones. Merchants opened shops along the colonnades, selling goods that had traveled the King’s Highway—spices from the East, grain from Egypt. All traffic from the south passed first through the monumental Arch of Hadrian, built to commemorate the emperor’s visit in 129 AD.
The city’s heart was the Oval Plaza, a large, unique public space paved with limestone and surrounded by Ionic columns. From there, the main street connected to all major civic structures: the two large theaters, the sprawling public baths, and the main religious sanctuaries, including the Temple of Zeus and the grand Temple of Artemis, which stood on a high terrace overlooking the city. A complex system of walls encircled the city, providing defense and managing access through several gates.
Gerasa's wealth and construction continued for centuries, even after the rise of Christianity, when churches were built alongside the temples. However, this prosperity ended abruptly. In 749 CE, a massive earthquake struck the region. Buildings collapsed, columns fell, and large sections of the walls fractured.
The devastation was severe, and urban life effectively ceased. Survivors departed, leaving the ruins to the element. Over the next several hundred years, desert sands gradually buried the massive stone structures. This covering is ultimately what protected Gerasa. Today, the ruins of Jerash are one of the best-preserved examples of a provincial Roman city in the world, with its colonnaded streets, theaters, and temples standing as clear evidence of its former status.Read more