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Jul 1, 2023 · AMMAN, the capital of Jordan, is a vibrant city with a rich history, blending ancient ruins with modern skyscrapers, offering delicious cuisine, and serving as a gateway to the Dead Sea. AMMAN is a cultural hub with bustling markets, vibrant nightlife, and impressive architecture.
The name “Amman” has deep-rooted historical origins, derived from the Semitic languages, with meanings that span across different eras and cultures. Historically, it is believed to have its roots in the ancient Semitic tribe known as the Ammonites, an ancient civilization that inhabited the area.
- Jabal Al-Qala
- Temple of Hercules from The Roman Era
- Hand of Hercules
- Early Bronze Age Cave at Amman Citadel
- Byzantine Church
- Umayyad Palace
- Jordan Archeological Museum, Amman Citadel
- Ain Ghazal Statues
- Terracotta Figurines
- Water Management
It is also known as Jabal al-Qala meaning the hill of the citadel. Amman Citadel has been continuously inhabited since the Neolithic period i.e. somewhere between 10,000 to 2,000 BCE. It was fortified during the Bronze Age i.e sometime around 1800 BCE. It has been known by names like Rabath Amman and Philadelphia. Today, it is like an open-air muse...
The tall pillars of the Temple of Hercules here make their presence felt from a distance. As soon as we reached the citadel, from the ticket window I saw the pillars of this temple. Managing a fragile balance but still standing tall like a proud child. A visitor would naturally walk towards the ruins of what would have been a temple. An inscription...
The most famous part of this temple is a Hand that supposedly belongs to the statue of Hercules, made in stone. The trick is that most stylized photographs of this hand make it look bigger than it is. You would find visitors looking frantically for this hand only to be pointed towards this relatively smaller one. In fact, it is because of this hand...
The oldest part of the citadel is a cave that is supposed to be a tomb cave since the 23rd BCE. I was thinking, have I seen anything as old as this, and I could think of only the tree fossils at Ghughua National Park. You stand here in front of this cave that looks like an ordinary cavity on the hill. And wonder about the humans who lived here at t...
The 6thCE church has only a floor plan and some Corinthian pillars left here. It apparently had a mosaic floor according to an inscription, but none of that can be seen here. All you see is a long nave-like structure with a semicircular end. I assume this may have been an important structure of its time.
Al-Qasr was a palace built during the early Islamic period i.e. late 7th to early 8thCE. This was probably built upon an existing Greek palace. But what remains today was probably the waiting area for the guests of the palace. It has a massive arched gateway with an interesting wooden ceiling covering the inside part of the dome. This is still in t...
This museum within the walls of this historic place was set up in 1951 to showcase the antiquities found here. It is a small museum but its richness lies in some of the oldest known sculpted statues known to mankind. The museum houses antique items like pottery pieces, stone tools, and other things used by men in the good old days. This museum used...
The biggest attraction for me here was the Ain Ghazal statues with their shapely carved eyes that make you feel as if would start talking any minute. Ain Ghazalstatues date back to 6000-8000 BCE and have been found at an old settlement near current-day Amman. These are the oldest known statues of any human civilization. Other Noteworthy pieces at J...
I also spotted a lot of terracotta figurines that resemble the mother goddess figures from the Indus Valley Civilization. There was a particular figure depicted as a pregnant lady sitting on a chair and this reminded me of the fertility cult that dominated our ancient civilizations. The patterns on the clay pottery pieces were also very similar and...
For any settlement, water is the first need. But the hill on which the citadel is located has no source of natural water except the scanty rainwater. Systems were built to store every drop of rainwater in a way that water was available throughout the year. Some of these underground water cisterns can be seen as soon as you enter the citadel. Visual...
Aug 21, 2023 · In the 3rd century BCE it was conquered by Egypt King Ptolemy Philadelphus and he renamed it Philadelphia after himself; the name was retained through Byzantine and Roman times. Philadelphia was a city of the Decapolis Greek: “Ten Cities”, a Hellenistic league of the 1st century BCE–2nd century CE.
Jan 22, 2020 · Amman is Jordan’s vibrant capital and a must-see when in the country. Useful advice on sightseeing, activities and food in Amman, written by a local expert.
Mar 5, 2018 · The Romans revitalized much of the region (although Nabatean cities such as Petra and Hegra were neglected), creating a powerful trade center at Gerasa and another called Philadelphia at the site of Ammon, now Amman, the capital city of modern-day Jordan.
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Sep 7, 2023 · Founded: Around 1200 BC. Ancient Name: Rabbah, or Rabbath Ammon. Greco-Roman Name: Philadelphia. Roman Period: Approx. 30 BC to 661 AD (including vassalage & Byzantine periods) Later the Assyrians, Babylonians, Ptolemies, and Seleucids all came to dominate the area.
