HOLY LAND
Amman - Kings Highway
Jordan
Amman is reminiscent of walking through a time machine, particularly its ancient citadel. Bronze-age caves, Roman pillars, Byzantine churches and Umayyad Mosques all blend together.
Beginning 9,000 years ago in the modern-day southern outskirts of Amman, the remains of Ain Ghazal, with the oldest human figurines ever found, prove this area to be one of the longest inhabited places in the world. Fast forward a few thousand years and the Ammonites come into the picture, founding this city set upon seven hills as their capitol, known as Rabbath-Ammon. It was during this time period that Amman become a vital stop along the King’s Highway, to this day. Alexander the Great’s conquests brought the Hellenistic culture to this city, which was renamed Philadelphia, the city of love, during the Roman times. Numerous remains of Roman rule sit side by side modern amenities today. The enormous Roman theater is used as a hangout spot by thousands of Jordanians everyday. Up above on the citadel, the towering pillars of the Temple of Hercules harken to a grand city, and also a popular photography spot.
From the 7th century onwards, Amman entered its Islamic era. Umayyad Mosques
THE SILK ROAD JOURNAL
How We Got Here
We flew in Amman International Airport, which is the most common way to enter this city, the entry point to exploring Jordan.
The Highlight
Exploring the citadel at sun down, watching the capitol glow in orange as the summer heat gave way to the cool evening breeze,
Our Treasure
Observing thousands of years of history and numerous world empires within short walking distance of each other.
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S N A P S H O T S O N T H E R O A D
W H E R E W I L L Y O U R J O U R N E Y T A K E Y O U N E X T ?
Amman, what a place of unending history and bustling markets. You are stocked up all you need for the journey along the King's Highway, a route across plateaus and wadis and through ancient remnants. Continue the journey to Karak, of the edge of a plateau with a castle perched high.