“…Which Man deemed old two thousand years ago, Match me such a marvel save in E

“…Which Man deemed old two thousand years ago, Match me such a marvel save in Eastern climate, A rose-red city half as old as Time.” -Section from John William Burgon’s “Petra,” Newdigate Prize poem, 1840. The Theatre of Petra, Jordan.  Deep within Jordan’s desert, situated between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, lies the hidden city of Petra, one of the ancient world’s greatest marvels. This Nabataean caravan-city has been inhabited since prehistory, and was an extremely important crossroads between Syria-Phoenicia, Egypt, and Arabia. Petra’s temples, dwellings, and monuments were for hundreds of years the centre of a splendid civilization. Surrounded by mountains, the city is half-built, half-carved into the rock. Certainly one of the most famous archaeological sites of the world, here ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture. The Theatre of Petra is carved at the foot of the High Place of Sacrifice during the reign of King Aretas IV (4 BC-AD 27). Seven stairways ascend the auditorium, and it consists of three rows of seats, which have been separated by passageways. The Theatre is able to accommodate about 4000 spectators. It has undergone several successive alterations and enlargements, the Romans, for example, rebuilt the back wall and stage. This would have been a hugely important building for the city, as it was likely used for both public meetings and plays. The back and stage were once richly decorated with columns, as well as imported marble statues in the Roman period. Photos taken by Guillermo Vale & Dennis Jarvis. -- source link

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