Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The main road passing through the site, and still paved to this day, once linked Gadara
with other nearby ancient cities such as Abila and Pella. In its heyday, the road extended
as far as the Mediterranean coast.
Baths
West along the decumanus maximus are the overgrown public baths. Built in the 4th cen-
tury, this would once have been an impressive complex of fountains (like the nearby
nymphaeum
Offline map
Google map
), statues and baths, though little remains today
after various earthquakes.
BATHHOUSE
Roman Mausoleum
The decumanus maximus continues west for 1km or so, leading to some ruins of limited
interest, including
baths
,
mausoleums
and
gates
. Japanese and Iraqi archaeologists are
currently excavating here. Most interesting is the basilica built above one of the Roman
mausoleums. You can peer down into the subterranean tomb through a hole in the basilica
floor. The sarcophagus of Helladis that once lay here can be seen in the Museum of An-
thropology and Archaeology (
Click here
)
in Irbid.
TOMB
MUSEUM
Museum
( 7500072; 8am-6pm Sat-Thu, to 4pm Fri)
Housed in Beit Russan, a
former residence of an Ottoman governor, this modest museum is set around an elegant
and tranquil courtyard of fig trees. The main mosaic on display (dating from the 4th cen-
tury and found in one of the tombs) illustrates the names of early Christian notables.
Another highlight is the headless white marble statue of the Hellenic goddess Tyche,
which was found sitting in the front row of the West Theatre.
Ottoman Village
Surrounding the museum are the comprehensive ruins of an Ottoman village dating from
the 18th and 19th centuries. Two houses,
Beit Malkawi
Offline map
Google map
(now
used as an office for archaeological groups) and the nearby
Beit Heshboni
Offline map
Google map
, are still intact. A
mosque
and the remains of a
girls' school
Offline map
Google map
are also worth a cursory visit if you choose to amble around the derelict
lanes.
RUIN
