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Jordan Most recent archaeological work indicates that nomadic Stone Age inhabitants of Jordan lived along ancient river beds and former lakes as far back as half a million years ago, and by 8,000 BC, villages of stone and mud brick houses started to appear on the scene. In the Early Bronze Age, the start of true urban life is recorded in a series of small, walled cities that appear throughout Jordan. Situated as it was between the great civilizations of Egypt to the west and Mesopotamia to the east, Jordan was destined to be a busy crossroads. In the Iron Age, during the first Millennium BC, several small kingdoms prevailed in the area. The Romans ruled Jordan Constantinople, brought Christianity to the area for some 400 years. In the 7th Century AD, the armies of Islam came out of Arabia and established the Umayyad Caliphate at Damascus, and Jordan has been an Islamic land ever since. In 1916, the Sherif Hussein of Hijaz launched the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottomans, and by the early 1920 the Emirate of Transjordan was established under the rule of then Emir Abdallah, grandfather of His Majesty King Hussein. Jordan became fully independent from Great Britain in 1946, and has developed without interruption as the independent Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Amman The modern Jordanian capital city of Amman is only the latest in a long series of communities that has flourished on the same spot for thousands of years. Here, in Biblical times, was Rabbath Ammon, capital of the Ammonites, descendants of Lot. The Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt (285-247 B.C.) ruled the city; he rebuilt it and renamed it Philadelphia. After the Roman conquest of the East, Philadelphia flourished as a member of the league of free cities, known as the Decapolis. After a brief period of prominence, under the Ummayyad Arabs in the 8th century, the whole country then sank into obscurity. During the Middle Ages, the once-bustling city was no more than a tiny village. Today, the city is not only the seat of government, but also Jordan’s principal trading center, the main clearing point for commercial goods, and the center of manufacturing activity. Newcomers may find Amman confusing at first because, at ground level, it is hard to grasp the city’s layout. Most of the buildings and houses are constructed with white stone, which tends to make everything look alike until certain landmarks can be established. Perhaps, the best place for an overall view of the city is the summit of a hill, known as the Citadel, situated in the center of town.
For more information go to Office of King Hussein I of Jordan http://www.emulateme.com/content/jordan.htm
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