Discovering Amman: A Journey Through Time in Jordan’s Vibrant Capital
Amman, the capital of Jordan, saw its first settlements arise more than 9,000 years ago on the site of the biblical Rabbath Ammon, the great city of the Ammonites, near Mount Nebo, where Moses first admired the Holy Land, birthplace of Jewish and Christian religions.
According to the sacred scriptures of the Old Testament, the founders of the Ammonite civilization were Lot and the youngest daughter of Abraham. During the Jewish exodus to Palestine, the Ammonites settled in the north, near the Jabbok, clashing several times over the centuries with the descendants of Jacob. The city was later conquered by a lieutenant of King David, subjugating the Ammonites to the Israelites. In the 9th century BC, however, the Ammonites regained power, ruling until 733 BC when they succumbed to the relentless invasions of the Assyrians, Medes, and Babylonians, who took control of Jordan and Palestine.
Amman later suffered invasions by the Ptolemies of Egypt, the Greeks, and in 30 BC, by King Herod the Great. Eventually, in 106 AD, it fell to Trajan’s Roman Empire, gaining importance as part of the Decapolis on the spice trade route. After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, the region became part of the Byzantine Kingdom.
In 635 AD, the Arabs took possession of the city, annexing it to the Umayyad kingdom, and condemning it to a slow decline as it was decentralized from the heart of the Arab empire. By the 13th century, Amman was abandoned until 1878 when the Circassians, a Muslim population from the Caucasus, were expelled by the Russians and relocated here by the Ottomans. The nearby city of Salt became the main center during this period.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, following the Great Arab Revolt and the defeat of the Turks in World War I, the rebirth of Rabbath Ammon was decided at a meeting in March 1921. The principal figures were Winston Churchill, then British Colonial Minister, and King Abdullah Hussein. With the partition of the Ottoman Arab lands, which included Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, the foundations of the modern metropolis were laid.
Independence from British hegemony and the birth of modern Jordan came after World War II, a year after the foundation of the League of Arab States in 1945 by Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen. In 1948, following the annexation of part of Jerusalem and the West Bank, the nation adopted the name Jordan.
Since the 1920s, Amman has experienced exponential population growth. From an almost uninhabited territory, it became the capital of the Jordanian kingdom, growing from 300,000 inhabitants in the 1920s to 1,000,000 in the 1980s, and reaching its current population of 2,300,000, with a daily increase to 3,000,000 including commuters and tourists. It is now the most populous city in Jordan.
Part of this immigration is due to the arrival of Palestinians from areas occupied by Israel. Historically united with Palestine, nearly all Jordanians have relatives from there, including the King. However, the city’s population surge is largely due to the economic boom of the last 20 years, fueled by foreign investments that have transformed Amman into a key business hub, home to major multinationals.
Spanning 19 hills, the city originally extended over seven heights and was thus considered a sort of “Rome” of the Arab world. It is architecturally divided into three sectors—the ancient, the modern, and the residential—spread across seven districts, each functioning like its own village.
Getting Around Amman
To navigate, use the eight large roundabouts within the seven districts as reference points. Visiting the old part of the city with a guide is highly recommended, as signs are only in Arabic. Taxis are preferable to driving, particularly during rush hour when traffic comes to a standstill. For groups, minibuses equipped with modern comforts, including free Wi-Fi, are available for rent. Public transport is by bus, but due to narrow streets, white taxis serve as an alternative, following fixed routes like public buses.
Exploring Amman
Start your visit at the Citadel, located in the old part of town on Jabel al-Qal’a (near the first roundabout), the site of the ancient Rabbah of the Ammonites. Here lie artifacts from the Stone Age to Roman times, including the iconic two columns of the Temple of Hercules dating to the reign of Marcus Aurelius (121–180 AD). Other highlights include remains of Philadelphia, the ancient Roman city, as well as Byzantine and Islamic structures.
Excavations in the Citadel, begun in 1927, revealed a Byzantine church and the 7th-century Umayyad Palace known as Al Qasr, accessed through a beautifully decorated portal from 720 AD. The National Archaeological Museum houses a collection of finds discovered throughout Jordan, arranged chronologically. Particularly renowned are plaster sculptures from the Stone Age (6,500 BC) unearthed at the Citadel. These human-like figures, some of the oldest in the world, have been exhibited in major museums worldwide.
The journey through the museum continues with finds from the Iron Age, Bronze Age, Rabbath Ammon, Greek domination, and Roman Philadelphia. Of special note is the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient Jewish documents discovered near the Dead Sea, believed to lead to a great treasure.
The Citadel offers a panoramic view of the city’s three main sectors, with the columns of the Temple of Hercules framing a vista of the Roman Forum, originally covering 7,600 square meters. Although only the south side remains, it includes the magnificent Roman Theatre from the 2nd century AD, built into the steep side of Al-Jaufa for acoustic reasons. With a seating capacity of 6,000, it still hosts performances during July and August. The Odeon, a smaller theatre, is also in use today.
Amman’s Down Town, home to vibrant markets and “souks,” offers a glimpse into the ancient Arab world. The Fruit and Vegetable Souk is a daily spectacle of fresh produce, while the Gold Souk (“Souk Al Thabab”) showcases exquisite gold and silver jewelry at competitive prices. Other highlights include the Women’s Souk, with intricate lingerie and veils, and the Spice Souk, where the aromas of the Middle East fill the air.
Nearby, Rainbow Street is a modern, trendy area, popular with locals under 30, offering cafés, galleries, and contemporary art. The street provides stunning views of Down Town.
For a historical experience, visit Hejaz Railway Station, built in 1908, which features a museum on Jordan’s railway history and several early 20th-century train carriages, including a luxurious Orient Express-style coach once used by King Abdullah.
