The ancient city of Jerash, famous for its Roman colonnaded streets, is in Jordan.
Jerash lies north of Amman and is one of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities in the Middle East. In antiquity it was known as Gerasa and formed part of the Decapolis, a group of Greco-Roman cities in the region. Its remains include the Oval Plaza, the Cardo, temples, theaters, arches, and long colonnades.
The city flourished under Roman rule, particularly from the 1st century CE onward, but earthquakes and changing political conditions contributed to its decline. Later settlement and accumulated soil helped preserve portions of the ancient structures. Jerash is sometimes confused with Petra because both are major Jordanian archaeological sites, but Petra is a Nabataean rock-cut city, while Jerash is especially noted for its Roman urban plan and monumental public architecture.