Pella

Approx. Time: 6 hours
Activity Level: Easy to Moderate

One of the oldest cities in the region is this fascinating city of trade. The ancient city of Pella, known in Arabic as Tabaqat Fahl, is believed to have been inhabited as early as 5000 BCE. It was during the Greco-Roman period, however, that Pella truly prospered. Strategically placed at the crossroads of numerous trading routes linking Europe, the Near East and Asia, the city flourished from trade and was influenced by a multitude of diverse cultures. Like many of the ancient cities of Jordan, Pella came successively under the rule of the Ptolemies and the Seleucids. Disaster struck in 83 BCE, however, when the Hasmonean leader of Judea, Alexander Jannaeus, largely destroyed the city when its inhabitants refused to embrace Judaism. Pella was one of several Hellenistic communities on the east bank of the Jordan River that was targeted by Jannaeus.

Courtesy of Jordan Tourism Board

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