Roman fort, Umm er-Rasas
Umm er-Rasas photo tour, part 3: the military fort at the Limes Arabicus, built end of the 3rd / beginning of the 4th century, converted into a civil quarter.
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The twin churches at the eastern wall. On the left, the Church of the Rivers (the northern), built 578/79 or 593/94; on the right, the Church of the Palm Tree, which was built later.
According to the archaeologist Jacques Bujard, the churches were abandoned during the Umayyad period, as witnessed by more than 20cm of loess accumulated on the floors. Afterward they were reused for habitation or workshops but this occupation came to an end with the collapse of the buildings during the 748 AD earthquake. A final phase of occupation on top of the collapse is documented by the presence of an oven in the narthex and a partition wall in the diaconicon.
(Quoted after: Umm ar-Rasas Site Management Plan, DoA Jordan)
© Photo: Haupt & Binder
Umm er-Rasas photo tour, part 3: the military fort at the Limes Arabicus, built end of the 3rd / beginning of the 4th century, converted into a civil quarter.
The second of the four major caliphates established after the death of prophet Muhammad (632 AD). Ruled by the Umayyads, the first dynasty of caliphs, 661–750, with their capital in Damascus 661–744. Their empire stretched from Central Asia to Morocco and Spain and was the largest in the world at that time.
In 750 the Umayyads were defeated by the Abbasids. Some survivors of the dynasty escaped and established the Emirate and then Caliphate al-Andalus in present-day Spain, with Córdoba as their capital, where they ruled until 1031.
More about in AD Jordan:
- Desert Castles
- Amman Citadel