Jerash is located 40 kilometres North of Amman and is 550 metres above sea level. Between the 1st and 4th centuries, among the scores of cities which flourished during the roman Era this city Jerash is the most complete and well preserved. This ruins of this city was rediscovered by a German scholar in 1908, it is believed to have once covered at area at least twice that now exposed and was populated of around 18,000 people. Jerash is located on the Eastern side of Ajloun (Gilead) Hills.

In 1908 the German scholar discovered that within the walls of Jerash, there were remains and evidence of the settlements of the Bronze age and Iron Age. Also he found evidence in references to the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad and Abbaside periods, which dating began from around 1600 BC. to 900 AD. This was once a Neolithic settlement c 6000 BC. Neolithic Man once lived there hunting gazelle, wild goats, oryx and mountain sheep from among the surrounding hills.

Later, in c. 2500 BC. Bronze Age and Iron Age, the villages were constructed before the city itself was built and erected. According to the earliest records however, it records to call it Antioch on the Golden River and this name is associated with the Seleucids of Syria. The emergence of this major city took place in c.350-250 BC. It then developed gradually from buildings of mud huts and primitive stone houses into a flourishing Hellenistic town by Ptolomy II Philadelphus in (283-2460 BC.) also responsible for a reconstruction programme in Amman.

The city’s Temple of Zeus was a safe haven used by Theodosus of Philadelphia when he was expelled and banished from Gadara.

Then later Jerash became a member of the Decapolis, a part of a defensive league of ten Greek cities. They controlled the Eastern Trade route from Egypt and Arabia to the Levant and Persia, this had brought great wealth to its members during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Jerash boomed and flourished, then was rebuilt in a typical classical style. It was transformed into a walled city of exceptional magnificence, it boasted a large forum and colonnaded streets lined by its public buildings.

Jerash has three Roman Theatres, two Baths, a Hippodrome and a water display pool, plus several Temples. The Artemis Temple is a 2nd-Century architectural triumph. The power of the Decapolis began to decline economically, when the destruction of Palmyra in 272 BC by the Romans broke its trade monopoly in the region. Later on, Jerash became the seat of Diocesan after Constantine's adoption of Chriatianity. A Cathedral and at least thirteen churches were built c. 500 AD. Jerash then became a place for pilgrimage and for the annual re-enactment of the miracle of Cana.

During the next century Jerash was invaded by the Persians, and then by the Arabs in 635 AD. Then during the early Islamic Empire a Mosque was built in Jerash. At this time, Jerash was on the main communication route between Damascus and the Arabian Peninsula. This was during the reign of the Umayyad Caliphs in 661 AD. Finally in 726 AD a major earthquake caused mass destruction to the city, including the irrigation system which made the city self sufficient in food and water usage. The sand, had choked up the channels and the fields during !st and 2nd centuries.

The site was later resettled by Circassians in 1876. Today the annual Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts, revives the cities Ancient roles as The meeting place of Culture and Art from the East and the West. Thousands of people are entertained by the Festival's score of Folkloric Dance Theatre and Ballet Troupes. Exhibition and Crafts are also on display. Jerash has developed dramatically in the last century mainly due to its strategic location being centred in the heart of Jordan. The growing importance of the Tourism Industry is welcomed to the city and is now the second-most popular Tourist attraction in Jordan, followed closely behind the splendid ruins of Petra.

Souf was the seed for modern Jerash ,the ruins are to the west of ancient Jerash's city walls.
For many centuries Souf was the centre of the Al-Meradh area during the Ottoman Empire. The Al-Meradh region was so named because it this was the only region in the North of Jordan which resisted the Southern Bedouin, who launched looting attacks by Bani Sakher Tribes.

In turn they led a Resistance Alliance which finally succeeded in defeating the Bedouin.

The old town of Jerash was inhabited by the local people of Souf and from the surrounding villages. The enriched mouldings on the Temple of Artemis also speak of its ebullient prosperity. They have been carefully preserved and spared from encroachment. The modern city had began to sprawl in the second half of the nineteenth century. Jerash was also targeted for successive migrant waves, including Syrians (Shwam), the Circassians, and in the second half of the twentieth century by the Palestinian refugees.

Recently however, the modern city of Jerash has now been expanded and includes many of the surrounding villages areas. These include: Aljbarat, Asfour, Dairelliat, Jaba, Majar, Souf and Thougretasfour. Other important villages within the Governate include: Balila, Burma, Jubba, Kitteh, Khall, Kufr, Mustabah, Nahle, Raimoun, Sakeb and Qafqafa. Since 1981, the old city of Jerash hosts, The Jerash Festival it is a three week Summer Program celebrating Dance, Music and Theatre performances. This Festival is popular and frequently attended by members of the Royal Family. It is hailed as One of the largest Cultural Activity Event in the Region.

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