JERASH & THE DECAPOLIS - Softcover

Jerash, with Petra and Palmyra, is one of the 3 great classical city sites of the Near East. Jerash is an outstanding example of a rich Roman provincial town, both in its plan and in it architecture. It is also the best preserved of the cities of the Decapolis, a group of settlements of Hellenistic origin, whose shared history and culture extended from the time of Alexander the Great, through the Roman and Byzantine periods. to the advent of Islam. In addition to its magnificent legacy of Roman remains, Jerash has some fine examples of Byzantine art and architecture. Tp put the site into context, the author explores the history of Jerash and the other Decapolis cities, including the adventures and researches of the 19th and 20th c travellers and scholars. Against this background, Jerash as it is today is then described and illustrated with numerous architectural drawings, plans, reconstructions, photographs and maps. Of special interest are the 19th c photographs, which show what dramatic changes have taken place in the last 100 years.