Umm Qais

Gadara - Umm Qais in Jordan today - lay to the east of the Jordan, about 10 kilometers ( air line) southeast of the southern end of the Sea of ​​Galilee, and was one of the Greek diverse cities of the Decapolis.

Buildings

The city for two theater is known. The so-called Northern theater could accommodate 6,000 visitors; of him little buildings remains today. Built in the 2nd century Western Theatre is nestled in the western slope of the Acropolis. His seat levels provide approximately 3000 spectators and consist - as well as the semicircular Orchestra - completely made ​​of basalt. The auditorium consists of three levels, each of which is divided into wedge-shaped seat departments. From the original stage building that once obscured the view of the surrounding countryside, has been preserved very little. In ancient times, the theater served not only the performance of plays, but also the event of religious and political parties. The Western Theatre was destroyed by an earthquake in the 8th century in part.

Research

During excavations in 1974 on behalf of the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology in the Holy Land a Byzantine central church was exposed. Soon after, began a fruitful cooperation between the institute and the German Archaeological Institute in the exploration of the ancient town and its hinterland. Cooperation partners are the National Museums in Berlin, represented since 1991 by the archaeologist Günther Schauerte.

Since 2001, the ' Gadara Region Project ' the environment Gadaras, especially the predecessor settlement Gadaras while their successors explored as a regional center - the more than 5,000 years populated Tall Zira'a.

History

Gadara was probably a Ptolemaic fortress by Antiochus III. was destroyed around 200 BC. One hundred years later, the settlement of the Hasmonean Alexander Jannaeus was destroyed a second time. Pompey took the city for the Roman Empire in 64 BC It was part of the Decapolis. At times, Gadara was under Herod the Great, after his death in 4 BC, it became part of the Roman province of Syria, and later the province of Arabia Petraea. As Roman city of Gadara came to considerable importance. Under Emperor Hadrian, a 170 km long aqueduct was built, the Gadara Aqueduct. In the following century, the city became Christian, until they came after the Battle of Yarmuk in 636 under Arab influence. In the 7th and 8th centuries Gadara was destroyed by severe earthquakes. By coin finds a settlement is believed to the 13th century. The re-discovery is attributed to Ulrich Jasper SEETZEN.

The date an inscription under the Arab rulers Mu ʿ āwiya I. to restore the baths in the north of Gadara located Hammath Gader (now el- Hammeh ) from the year 663 there is presented in three ways: in terms of the Byzantine tax year in relation to the city's history and in the (new) Arab era. This allows for the synchronization.