Things to see and do Umm Qais (Gadara)

From the ancient necropolis of the first century remain some tombs still visible, notably that of Germani (the name is engraved on it). These are dug in the ground and you have to go down some steps to reach them. They are sometimes invaded by vegetation. Of Greek inspiration, the necropolis has a triangular pediment, moldings and a characteristic Doric frieze. You will also see the tombs of Modestus, with rosettes and a heavy door always mounted on its hinges. Finally the tomb of Chaireas, which is less interesting.

The Archaeology Museum occupies one of the most beautiful houses in the ancient village of Umm Qais, dating from the Ottoman period. It exhibits artifacts found on the site during various excavations. The statue of the goddess Tychee and the mosaic of the underground mausoleum can be admired. The latter contains the names of the deceased owners (Valentinanos, Eustathia and Protogenia). You will also notice an amazing sculpture of a rattlesnake coiled on itself.

The ruins of the basilica lie just above the hypogeum. It dates from the second half of the 4th century. Very damaged by the earthquake of 749, there is not much left. We can still guess its huge atrium of 52 meters long. The church was divided into 5 bays oriented from west to east and ended with an apse over the crypt. The entrance was through a hall supported by Ionic columns. Two additional small entrances were pierced in the north and south walls. The basilica was converted into a mosque after the defeat of the Crusaders.

A street ran below the basilica and its huge platform. Cells had been built under it, which were probably shops. There are 17 of them, and some of them still have their facades. Those in which the façade has collapsed reveal vaulted arched cellars. The pillars of the arches were reinforced with cement. The facades and the longitudinal wall were made of black basalt. This shopping street was only uncovered fairly recently, during the 1995 excavations carried out by a Jordanian team.

Going towards the exit of the city by the Decumanus, we arrive in front of the nymphaeum dating from the 2nd century. It is exactly in front of the large western terrace. This sacred fountain supplied water to the whole city and was decorated with marble statues. Today it is very dilapidated, but it can be seen by its 15-metre long basin. Excavations in 1998 revealed a marble block on which was engraved the name of the nymphaeum's donor, a certain Aurelios Diophantes, who was the city's superintendent of police.

The old village of Umm Qais dates back to the Ottoman Empire and most of the stones used for its construction came from the ancient city. It is built on the Roman Acropolis, the highest and richest part of the city. The village was bombed during the Six Day War and its inhabitants were relocated further away. Today, this ghost village houses the archaeological museum and a visitor centre with craft shops.

Situated in front of the nymphaeum, the thermal baths made a rather late appearance in Gadara, since they date from the IVth century. They covered a surface of 2,400 m². Very damaged shortly after their construction, they were reduced to a more modest size. They included several baths housed in closed and decorated halls. Their use was abandoned around the 7th century, when the city was under water and firewood rationing. The great earthquake of 749 and its successive aftershocks were the reason for the baths.

When one overlooks the ancient city from the village, it is the first building that one sees. Carved in black basalt and able to accommodate 3,000 people, it is not the most imposing of the theaters of the city, but it is the best preserved. The seats in the stands are not all the same: those near the stage and in the last rows have a lower back and are also more comfortable. These seats of honor were reserved for the local aristocracy or distinguished guests during performances and city councils.

Below the museum, you can see the remains of what was once an amphitheatre. It was located at the entrance to the city, along the Decumanus maximus. It takes some imagination to reconstruct the auditorium, its bays, its galleries, its stage that were leaning against the hill. The theatre was built towards the end of the 1st century BC and could accommodate up to 4,000 spectators. The theatre was probably destroyed by successive earthquakes in the region. Its stones were used to build the houses of the village.

The main artery of the city, running west to east, offers a splendid view of Israel, the Jordan Valley and Syria, with the Golan Heights and Lake Tiberias in the background. The fortifications that once marked out the city can still be seen below. At the end of the Decumanus is the West Gate, a triumphal arch, and the remains of what may have been a racecourse. As you approach the baths, you pass the mausoleum and the basilica, then the remains of a Roman temple probably dedicated to Jupiter.

The site of the ancient city is punctuated with grated wells leading to underground tunnels. It is an aqueduct of 160 km which was used to supply the city of Gadara with water, of which 94 km are underground. It is the longest aqueduct ever discovered in the Roman Empire, which connected Mount Hermont to Gadara via Abila. Recently, archaeologists have discovered that some of these tunnels were also used to defend the city from possible invaders, allowing the supply of food or the escape in case of siege

Under the octagonal basilica, at the foot of the theatre, an underground mausoleum dating back to the Roman occupation of Gadara was discovered by chance by the Jordanian army during the Six-Day War. It was used as a field hospital during the fighting. German archaeologists undertook excavations there in 1998 and unearthed a mosaic on display in the museum. They also found tombs guarded by sphinxes. A massive revolving slab separated the entrance from the burial chamber where eight sarcophagi were found.