What Roman theatre in Amman, Jordan, was carved into a hillside and seats 6,000?

What Roman theatre in Amman, Jordan, was carved into a hillside and seats 6,000? The answer is the Roman Theatre of Amman.

The theater was built in the 2nd century CE, when Amman was known by its Roman name, Philadelphia. A Greek inscription on one of its pillars associates its construction with the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius, who ruled from 138 to 161 CE. It stands at the foot of Jabal Al-Joufah, opposite the Amman Citadel.

Its steeply raked seating was cut into the hillside and could accommodate about 6,000 spectators. The structure was oriented north, helping shield audiences from the sun. Three horizontal seating divisions, known as diazomata, organized the cavea, while side entrances connected the orchestra and stage areas.

The theater is often confused with the theaters at Aspendos, Herodes Atticus, or Orange, but those landmarks are elsewhere: Turkey, Athens, and France respectively. Today, Amman’s theater remains a major cultural venue, hosting concerts, festivals, ceremonies, and other public events.