Overview of History
Jordan's history is one of the oldest in humanity — the region was one of the first to be settled and lies at the crossroads of three continents.
Early Times & Antiquity
The Ain-Ghazal settlement near Amman (7,000 BC) is one of the oldest known cities in the world. The famous plaster statues from there are among the earliest human representations ever. In the 1st millennium BC, the Ammonites (capital: Rabbath Ammon, today Amman), Moabites, and Edomites dominated the region — all three are known from the Bible.
The Nabataeans (4th century BC – 106 AD)
The Nabataeans were an Arab nomadic people who settled in the region south of the Dead Sea and built a trade empire that controlled the incense and spice routes between Arabia, India, and the Mediterranean. Their capital Petra became one of the richest and most beautiful cities of the ancient world.
The Nabataeans were masters of water management — they developed sophisticated systems for collecting and storing rainwater in the desert, which still function today. Their art combined Greek, Egyptian, and Arab influences into a unique style that can still be admired in Petra.
106 AD Emperor Trajan annexed the Nabataean kingdom and made it the Roman province of Arabia Petraea. Petra lost its significance as a trading city, and the Nabataeans merged into the Roman population.
Romans, Byzantines & Islam
Under Rome, the region flourished: Jerash, Umm Qais (Gadara), and Philadelphia (Amman) became magnificent Decapolis cities. After the division of the Roman Empire, Jordan belonged to the Byzantine Empire — the mosaics of Madaba and the churches on Mount Nebo date from this Christian era.
636 AD Muslim armies defeated the Byzantines in the Battle of Yarmuk (in present-day northern Jordan) — one of the most decisive battles in world history, which made the entire Middle East Islamic. The Umayyads (661–750) left behind the desert castles, the Crusaders (12th–13th century) the castles of Kerak and Shobak, and Saladin the fortress of Ajloun.
Ottoman Rule & Arab Revolt
From 1516 to 1918, Jordan was part of the Ottoman Empire — a largely forgotten province through which only the pilgrimage route to Mecca passed (the Hejaz Railway). This changed in World War I: Sharif Hussein of Mecca declared the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in 1916, supported by the British officer T.E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia"). The Wadi Rum and Aqaba were scenes of this legendary revolt.
The Hashemite Kingdom (since 1921)
After the war, the British and French divided the Middle East among themselves (Sykes-Picot Agreement). 1921 Winston Churchill founded the "Emirate of Transjordan" under Abdullah I, the son of Sharif Hussein. In 1946, the country became independent as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Since then, the Hashemite dynasty has ruled — one of the oldest royal families in the world, tracing their lineage directly to the Prophet Mohammed. King Hussein (1952–1999) led the country through the wars with Israel (1948, 1967) and the Palestinian conflict, making Jordan a reliable partner of the West. His son King Abdullah II (since 1999) continues this policy.
