Djerach
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Jerash مدينة جرش Gerasa (Ancient Greek) |
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| City | |
The Roman city of Gerasa and the modern Jerash (in the background).
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| Nickname(s): Pompeii of the East, The city of 1000 columns | |
 Jerash
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| Coordinates: 32°16′20.21″N 35°53′29.03″E / 32.2722806°N 35.8913972°E | |
| Country | Jordan |
| Province | Jerash Governorate |
| Founded | 2000 BC. |
| Municipality established | 1910 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| Elevation | 600 m (1,968 ft) |
| Population (2015) | |
| • Total | city (50,745), Municipality (237.000 est) |
| Time zone | GMT +2 |
| • Summer (DST) | +3 (UTC) |
| Area code(s) | +(962)2 |
| Website | http://www.jerash.gov.jo |
Coordinates: 32°16′20.21″N 35°53′29.03″E / 32.2722806°N 35.8913972°E
Jerash, the Gerasa of Antiquity (Ancient Greek: Γέρασα, Hebrew: גַ'רַש), is the capital and largest city of Jerash Governorate (محافظة جرش), which is situated in the north of Jordan, 48 kilometres (30 mi) north of the capital Amman towards Syria. Jerash Governorate's geographical features vary from cold mountains to fertile valleys from 250 to 300 metres (820 to 980 ft) above sea level, suitable for growing a wide variety of crops.
The 749 Galilee earthquake destroyed large parts of Jerash, while subsequent earthquakes (847 Damascus earthquake) along with wars and turmoil contributed to additional destruction. However, by the year 1119, during the period of the ِKingdom of Jerusalem, a garrison of forty men stationed in Jerash by Zahir ad-Din Toghtekin, atabeg of Damascus converted the Temple of Artemis into a fortress which was captured by Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem (1118-31), and utterly destroyed. Then after, the Crusaders abandoned Jerash for Sakib (Seecip) the eastern border of the Kingdom of Jerusalem with Seljuk Empire. They initiated a re-treatment of the eastern border of settlement. This, however, was not yet permanent, since Jerash re-appeared on Ottoman tax registers of the 16th century.
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Wikipedia