Population: 164 300

Jerash lies 45 km to the north of Amman. We can find some remains from Neolithic, Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad periods. The town was a member of the Decapolis and it was the most dynamic of the 10 Graeco-Roman cities. Jerash probably took its prosperity from the iron mines exploited not far from it. Under the Roman influence, it acquired all the essential elements of the reputation of the famous Roman city (temples, theaters, etc.). Its development is due to the construction of a road, built by Trajan and joins up Damascus and Aqaba. It peaked during the IIIrd century, and this until the fall of Palmyra in 273 A.D. In the mid IV century, Christianity settled in and churches were built to the detriment of Graeco-Roman buildings. In 1614 it was pillaged, first by the Sassanides and then by the Arabs. Finally several earthquakes completed its destruction.