--- title: Amman — English Wikipedia · full text with trees description: Wikipedia's «Amman», whole, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics, CC BY-SA 4.0. It begins: Amman is the capital and the largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Amman/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/) / [en](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/) / Amman # Amman From Wikipedia, [«Amman»](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman), revision of the 2026-09-01 dump, [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). The trees and pragmatics of these pages, Mova's parse of that text, are CC BY-SA 4.0 too. The English Wikipedia article «Amman», whole: 50 sections, 430 sentences and 7782 words, its 169 notes at the end. The marks in brackets «[n]» are Wikipedia's own, each leading to its note and source; the small number after every sentence leads to the sentence's own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Amman/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Amman/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Amman/page/4/) | Facts | | | --- | --- | | | **Amman · عَمَّان** | | | **[Capital city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_city)** | | | Flag Seal | | | Nicknames:; The White Pigeon; The City of Stairs; [\[1\]](page/4/#ref-1 "note 1")[\[2\]](page/4/#ref-2 "note 2") | | | Coordinates: | | [Governorate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorates_of_Jordan) | [Amman Governorate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Governorate) | | First settled | 7000 BC | | [Municipality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Amman_Municipality) | 1909 | | **Government** | | | • [Mayor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mayors_of_Amman) | [Yousef Shawarbeh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yousef_Shawarbeh)[\[3\]](page/4/#ref-3 "note 3")[\[4\]](page/4/#ref-4 "note 4") | | **Area** | | | • Total | 1,680 km² (649 sq mi) | | Highest elevation | 1,100 m (3,609 ft) | | Lowest elevation | 700 m (2,297 ft) | | **Population (2024)** | | | • Total | 4,920,100 ([1st](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Jordan)) | | • Density | 2,900.0/km² (7,511.0/sq mi) | | Demonym | Ammani | | **GDP (Nominal, 2024) [\[5\]](page/4/#ref-5 "note 5")** | | | • Total | [US$](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US$)20.9 billion | | • Per capita | US$4,300 | | [Time zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_zone) | [UTC+03:00](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTC+03:00) ([AST](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabia_Standard_Time)) | | Postal code | 11110-17198 | | Area code | +962(6) | Amman[\[8\]](page/4/#ref-8 "note 8") is the capital and the largest city of [Jordan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan) [corpus](../Jordan/ "in our corpus"), and the country's economic, political, and cultural center.[\[9\]](page/4/#ref-9 "note 9")[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") With a population of five million as of 2024, Amman is Jordan's [primate city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primate_city) and is the largest city in the [Levant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levant) region, the [seventh-largest city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_cities_in_the_Arab_world) in the [Arab world](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_world), and the [eighth-largest metropolitan area](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_metropolitan_areas_of_the_Middle_East) in the [Middle East](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East).[\[10\]](page/4/#ref-10 "note 10")[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Settlement in Amman dates to the 8th millennium BC at ['Ain Ghazal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayn_Ghazal_%28archaeological_site%29), home to the world's [oldest human statues](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ʿAin_Ghazal_statues).[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") During the [Iron Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Age), Rabat Aman was the capital of the [Ammonite Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammon).[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") In the 3rd century BC, the city was conquered by the Greeks and renamed [Philadelphia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_%28Amman%29), later part of the [Nabataean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabataean_Kingdom), and the [Roman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire) realms.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") In the 7th century, Philadelphia was conquered by the [Rashidun Caliphate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashidun_Caliphate), who restored its original name.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Throughout most of the Islamic era, Amman alternated between periods of relative prosperity and devastation.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The city was largely abandoned during the [Ottoman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empire) period from the 15th century until 1878, when [Circassians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circassians) were resettled there.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Amman grew after it was [connected](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Hejaz_Railway_Station) to the [Hejaz Railway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hejaz_Railway), and the subsequent formation of its first municipal council in 1909.[\[11\]](page/4/#ref-11 "note 11")[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") Amman witnessed rapid growth after its designation as [Transjordan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirate_of_Transjordan)'s capital in 1921, receiving migrations from different Jordanian and Levantine cities, and later several successive waves of refugees: [Palestinians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinians) in 1948 and 1967; Iraqis in 1990 and 2003; and Syrians since 2011.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") It was initially built on [seven hills](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_claimed_to_be_built_on_seven_hills), but now spans over 19 hills combining 22 areas,[\[11\]](page/4/#ref-11 "note 11") which are administered by the [Greater Amman Municipality](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Amman_Municipality).[\[12\]](page/4/#ref-12 "note 12")[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Areas of Amman have gained their names from either the hills (jabal) or the valleys (wadi) they occupy, such as [Jabal al-Luweibdeh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabal_al-Luweibdeh) and Wadi Abdoun.[\[11\]](page/4/#ref-11 "note 11")[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") East Amman is predominantly filled with historic sites that frequently host cultural activities, while West Amman is more modern and serves as the economic center of the city.[\[13\]](page/4/#ref-13 "note 13")[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Approximately one million visitors arrived in Amman in 2018, which made it the [89th most-visited city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_international_visitors) in the world and the 12th most-visited Arab city.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Amman has a relatively fast growing economy[\[14\]](page/4/#ref-14 "note 14") and it is ranked as a Beta− [global city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city) by the [Globalization and World Cities Research Network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalization_and_World_Cities_Research_Network).[\[15\]](page/4/#ref-15 "note 15")[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Moreover, it was named one of the Middle East and North Africa's best cities according to economic, labor, environmental, and socio-cultural factors.[\[16\]](page/4/#ref-16 "note 16")[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") The city is among the most popular locations in the [Arab world](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_world) for [multinational corporations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_corporation) to set up their regional offices, alongside [Doha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doha) [corpus](../Doha/ "in our corpus") and only behind [Dubai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai).[\[17\]](page/4/#ref-17 "note 17")[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Amman has a [bus network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Bus), including a [Bus Rapid Transit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_Rapid_Transit) (BRT) system that [serves the city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Bus_Rapid_Transit) and [connects it](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman-Zarqa_Bus_Rapid_Transit) to neighboring [Zarqa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarqa).[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Amman is served by two airports.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") ## Etymology Amman derives its name from the ancient people of the [Ammonites](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammon), whose capital the city had been since the 13th century BC.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") The Ammonites named it Rabat ʿAmmān (𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍),[\[6\]](page/4/#ref-6 "note 6") with the term Rabat meaning the "Capital" or the "King's Quarters".[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") In the [Hebrew Bible](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_Bible), the town is referred to as Rabbaṯ Bənē ʿAmmōn (רַבַּת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן) or simply Rabbā (רַבָּה),[\[18\]](page/4/#ref-18 "note 18") and it appears in English translations as "Rabbah of the Ammonites," "Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, or "Rabbath Ammon."[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") [Ptolemy II Philadelphus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_II_Philadelphus), the Macedonian ruler of the [Ptolemaic Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_Kingdom) who reigned from 283 to 246 BC, renamed the city [Philadelphia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_%28Amman%29) (Φιλαδέλφεια; literally: "[brotherly love](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philia)"), after himself, after occupying it.[\[19\]](page/4/#ref-19 "note 19")[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") By the Islamic era, the [Rashidun Caliphate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashidun_Caliphate) restored its ancient Semitic name and called it Amman in the 7th century AD.[\[20\]](page/4/#ref-20 "note 20")[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") ## History See also: [Timeline of Amman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Amman) ### Prehistoric and Iron Age periods #### Neolithic period Main article: [Ayn Ghazal (archaeological site)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayn_Ghazal_%28archaeological_site%29) The [Neolithic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic) site of [ʿAin Ghazal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayn_Ghazal_%28archaeological_site%29) today lies in the outskirts of Amman.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") At its height, around 7000 BC, it had an area of 15 ha and was inhabited by c. 3,000 people (four to five times the population of contemporary [Jericho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tell_es-Sultan)).[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") At that time, the site was a typical [aceramic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aceramic) Neolithic village.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Its houses were rectangular mud-bricked buildings that included a main square living room, whose walls were made up of lime plaster.[\[21\]](page/4/#ref-21 "note 21")[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") The site was discovered in 1974 as construction workers were working on a road crossing the area.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") By 1982, when the excavations started, around 600 m of road ran through the site.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Despite the damage brought by urban expansion, the remains of ʿAin Ghazal provided a wealth of information.[\[22\]](page/4/#ref-22 "note 22")[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") ʿAin Ghazal is well known for a set of small human statues found in 1983, when local archeologists stumbled upon the edge of a large pit containing them.[\[23\]](page/4/#ref-23 "note 23")[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") These statues are human figures made with white plaster, with painted eyes.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Thirty-two figures were found in two caches, fifteen of them full figures, fifteen busts, and two fragmentary heads.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") Three of the busts depicted two-headed characters, the significance of which is not clear.[\[22\]](page/4/#ref-22 "note 22")[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") #### Rabbath Amman Main article: [Ammon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammon) In the 13th century BC, Amman was the capital of the [Ammonite Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammon), and became known as "Rabat Amman".[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Rabat Amman provided several natural resources to the region, including sandstone and limestone, along with a productive agricultural sector that made it a vital location along the [King's Highway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Highway_%28ancient%29), the ancient trade route connecting [Egypt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt) with [Mesopotamia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopotamia), [Syria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria_%28region%29) and [Anatolia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolia).[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") As with the [Edomites](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edomites) and [Moabites](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moabites), trade along this route gave the Ammonites considerable revenue.[\[24\]](page/4/#ref-24 "note 24")[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") [Milcom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milcom) is named in the [Hebrew Bible](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_Bible) as the [national god](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_god) of Rabat Amman.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") Another ancient [deity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deity), [Moloch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moloch), usually associated with the use of children as offerings, is also mentioned in the Bible as a god of the Ammonites, but this is probably a mistake for Milcom.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") However, excavations by archeologists near [Amman Civil Airport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Civil_Airport) uncovered a temple, which included an altar containing many human bone fragments.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") The bones showed evidence of burning, which led to the assumption that the altar functioned as a [pyre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyre) and used for [human sacrifice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sacrifice).[\[25\]](page/4/#ref-25 "note 25")[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Amman is mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") According to the biblical narrative, the Ammonite king [Hanun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanun) allied with [Hadadezer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadadezer_ben_Rehob), king of [Aram-Zobah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zobah), against the [United Kingdom of Israel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Israel_%28united_monarchy%29).[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") During the war, [Joab](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joab), the captain of King [David](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David)'s army, laid siege to Rabbah, Hanun's royal capital, and destroyed it.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Hanun's brother, [Shobi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shobi), was made king in his place, and became a loyal vassal of David.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") Hundreds of years later, the prophet [Jeremiah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah) foresaw the coming destruction and final desolation of the city.[\[27\]](page/4/#ref-27 "note 27")[\[28\]](page/4/#ref-28 "note 28")[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Several Ammonite ruins across Amman exist, such as [Rujm Al-Malfouf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rujm_Al-Malfouf) and some parts of the [Amman Citadel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Citadel).[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") The ruins of Rujm Al-Malfouf consist of a stone watchtower used to ensure the protection of their capital and several store rooms to the east.[\[29\]](page/4/#ref-29 "note 29")[\[30\]](page/4/#ref-30 "note 30")[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") The city was later conquered by the [Assyrians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Assyrian_Empire), followed by the [Babylonians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Babylonian_Empire) and the [Achaemenid Persians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achaemenid_Empire).[\[31\]](page/4/#ref-31 "note 31")[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Philadelphia Main article: [Philadelphia (Amman)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_%28Amman%29) #### Founding by the Greeks The conquest of the [Near East](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_East) by the [Macedonian Greeks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonia_%28ancient_kingdom%29) under [Alexander the Great](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great) in 332 BC introduced [Hellenistic culture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenism_%28Greek_culture%29) into the region.[\[32\]](page/4/#ref-32 "note 32")[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") After Alexander's death, his empire split among his generals, with the [Ptolemies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_Kingdom) based in [Egypt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Egypt) and the [Seleucids](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucid_Empire) in [Syria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria_%28region%29).[\[32\]](page/4/#ref-32 "note 32")[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") The Ptolemic-Seleucid rivalry, also known as the [Syrian Wars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Wars), left the region east of the [Jordan River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_River) a disputed frontier, with Ammon increasing in strategic importance, considering its citadel hill.[\[33\]](page/4/#ref-33 "note 33")[\[34\]](page/4/#ref-34 "note 34")[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") The Macedonian ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy II, established a number of cities in the region, including one in Ammon at a site that was initially a [military colony](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_colony), which then developed into a full-blown Greek-type city ([polis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polis)),[\[35\]](page/4/#ref-35 "note 35") possibly by settling there Hellenised [Tyrean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyre,_Lebanon) colonists.[\[36\]](page/4/#ref-36 "note 36")[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Ptolemy II renamed Ammon to Philadelphia (Φιλαδέλφεια) to honor his own epithet, which he had acquired after having married his [older sister](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsinoe_II), with both being called "Philadelphoi" (Koine Greek: Φιλάδελφοι "Sibling-lovers").[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") (But the marriage may not have been consummated, since it produced no children.)[\[36\]](page/4/#ref-36 "note 36")[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") #### Arab Nabataean control and rule Written sources speak of members of the Jewish [Tobiad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobiads) family based in [Jerusalem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem) [corpus](../Jerusalem/ "in our corpus"), who ruled Philadelphia on behalf of the Ptolemies as tax collectors and built a unique palace (today's [Qasr al-Abd](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasr_al-Abd), 'Castle of the Slave') on the city's southwestern outskirts.[\[34\]](page/4/#ref-34 "note 34")[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") Philadelphia switched hands between the Ptolemis and the Seleucids several times, until the 200 BCE victory of the Seleucids at the [Battle of Panium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Panium).[\[34\]](page/4/#ref-34 "note 34")[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") The Arab Nabataeans exploited the [Seleucid-Ptolemic wars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Wars) to establish their [Nabatean Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabatean_Kingdom) centered in Raqmu ([Petra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra)) in the third century BC, which kept Philadelphia in a border zone.[\[33\]](page/4/#ref-33 "note 33")[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") The Nabataeans exercised a form of control in Philadelphia with Seleucid decline in the second century BC.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[\[38\]](page/4/#ref-38 "note 38")[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") Nabataean presence in the cities of the Decapolis was prominent, with the most substantial archaeological evidence found in Philadelphia, which indicates presence of a large Nabataean community in the city during the first century AD.[\[38\]](page/4/#ref-38 "note 38")[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") #### Decapolis and flourishing under Roman rule The [Romans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire) conquered much of the [Levant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levant) under [Pompey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompey) in 63 BC, inaugurating a [period of imperial rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Palestine_region#Roman_period) that lasted for four centuries.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") In the northern parts of modern-day Jordan, the Greek cities of [Philadelphia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_%28Amman%29) (Amman), [Gerasa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerash), [Gedara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umm_Qays), [Pella](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pella) and [Arbila](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irbid) joined with other cities in [Palestine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_%28region%29) and southern parts of today's [Syria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria) [corpus](../Syria/ "in our corpus") to form the [Decapolis League](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decapolis), an autonomous confederation based on common economic and cultural interests.[\[39\]](page/4/#ref-39 "note 39")[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") The Roman Empire formally annexed the [Nabataean Kingdom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabataean_Kingdom) in AD 106, which it organized as the province of [Arabia Petraea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabia_Petraea), and to which Philadelphia was attached.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") After the annexation, the Romans under Emperor [Trajan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajan) constructed around the year 111 the [Via Traiana Nova](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Traiana_Nova), 'Trajan's New Road', which connected the ancient [Red Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Sea) port of Aila ([Aqaba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqaba)) with [Bostra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bostra), the provincial capital of Arabia Petraea.[\[33\]](page/4/#ref-33 "note 33")[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") Philadelphia thrived as a trading center and became an important stop on the new road.[\[40\]](page/4/#ref-40 "note 40")[\[41\]](page/4/#ref-41 "note 41")[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") The second century AD saw Philadelphia thriving, with the city being rebuilt in the classical Roman style, with a large [theater](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Theater_%28Amman%29), a smaller [odeon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odeon_Theater_%28Amman%29) theater, a [nymphaeum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaeum_%28Amman%29), [public baths](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_baths_%28Amman%29), a forum, and a network of colonnaded streets in the valley, as well as a [propylaeon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylaea) with stairs connecting it to the [acropolis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis) on Citadel Hill, where a [temple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Citadel#Great_Temple_%28%22Temple_of_Hercules%22%29) dedicated to [Hercules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules) was built.[\[33\]](page/4/#ref-33 "note 33")[\[40\]](page/4/#ref-40 "note 40")[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") A [gymnasium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnasium_%28ancient_Greece%29) is also believed to have existed in the city, but it has so far not been discovered.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") The network of colonnaded streets included the usual Roman east–west road known as [Decumanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decumanus) and a north-south road known as [Cardo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardo); the remains of neither survive today.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") #### Christian Byzantine rule With the beginning of the 4th century AD, the Eastern Roman Empire adopted Christianity as the [state religion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_religion) under [Constantine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great), which started the [Byzantine period](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire).[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") Knowledge about Philadelphia in the Byzantine period is scant.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") In the early 300s AD, Greek historian [Eusebius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebius) noted in the [Onomasticon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onomasticon_%28Eusebius%29) that "Philadelphia was a distinguished city of Arabia."[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") During the Byzantine period, no new walls were constructed at the Citadel Hill, and [many churches were built in Philadelphia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Byzantine_churches_in_Amman).[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") At [Quwaysimeh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Quwaysimah_%28Jordan%29), on the southern edge of Amman, a Roman mausoleum and two Byzantine churches were discovered, with inscriptions honoring wealthy Philadelphians who had donated to build the churches.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") Philadelphia produced a well-known historian named [Malchus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malchus_%28historian%29) in the 5th century AD, an Arab origin scholar who resided in [Constantinople](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinople) and produced a 500-page book about the history of the Byzantine Empire.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Islamic period See also: [Desert castles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_castles) #### Rashidun Caliphate In the 630s, the [Rashidun Caliphate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashidun_Caliphate) conquered the region from the [Byzantines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire), beginning the Islamic era in the Levant.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") Philadelphia was renamed "Amman" by the Muslims and became part of the district of [Jund Dimashq](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jund_Dimashq).[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") A large part of the population already spoke [Arabic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic), which facilitated integration into the [caliphate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliphate), as well as several conversions to [Islam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam).[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") Under the [Umayyad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umayyad_Caliphate) caliphs who began their rule in 661 AD, numerous [desert castles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_castle) were established as a means to govern the desert area of modern-day Jordan, several of which are still well-preserved.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") Amman had already been functioning as an administrative centre.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") The Umayyads built a large palace on the [Amman Citadel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amman_Citadel) hill, known today as the [Umayyad Palace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umayyad_Palace).[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") Amman was later destroyed by several earthquakes and natural disasters, including a particularly severe earthquake in [749](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/749_Galilee_earthquake).[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") The Umayyads were [overthrown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbasid_Revolution) by the [Abbasids](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbasid_Caliphate) three years later.[\[39\]](page/4/#ref-39 "note 39")[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Amman/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Amman/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Amman/page/4/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Amman/page/2/) - ↑ back to [English Wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/)