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Colonnaded Street of Petra
The colonnaded street of Petra (Jordan) marked the centre of the ancient city. A double row of columns lined the 6m-wide carriageway, and covered porticoes gave access to commercial shops on its south side. At the end of the colonnaded street, a monumental triple-arched gate marked the access to the sacred open precinct of the Qasr al-Bint. The colonnaded street was built around 106 CE during the Roman occupation.
Questions & Answers
Who built Petra?
- The sandstone city of Petra was built in the 3rd century BCE by the Nabataeans, an Arab Bedouin tribe indigenous to the region who established it as a trading post and accumulated significant wealth.
When did the Romans rule Petra?
- The Roman Empire expanded eastward and took over Petra in 106 CE during the reign of Emperor Trajan (r. 98-117 CE). The city became part of the Roman province of Arabia Petraea and became its capital.
What did Petra look like in ancient times?
- At its peak, 2,000 years ago, Petra was home to as many as 30,000 people, full of temples, theatres, lush gardens, tombs, luxurious Roman-style villas, and busy marketplaces brimming with exotic goods from India, Arabia, and Egypt.
When was Petra discovered?
- Petra had remained hidden from Western eyes for centuries until it was rediscovered on 22 August 1812 by Swiss traveller and orientalist Johannes Ludwig Burckhardt. His entry to Petra, in the disguise of an Arab traveller, was recorded in a vivid and detailed account, describing exactly where he went and what he saw.
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External Links
Petra – following hadrian photography
followinghadrianphotography.com
Petra - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
unesco.org
