Umm Qais is a must-see for yet another reason. Its location on a hill 1,700 feet above the Yarmouk River canyon provides a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. Although our group did not visit Pella, the town is worth mentioning because it was a refuge for early Christians from Jerusalem fleeing Roman persecution. Only 60 miles from Amman, Pella was also a member of the Decapolis. Artifacts show that humans were roaming the area as far back as the Stone Age.
Visitors can see impressive structures, such as temples, baths, plazas and arches.
A half-mile stretch of Corinthian columns lines the main street where tracks of chariot wheels are still visible in the original paving stones. Back in time Christian pilgrims will find Jerash particularly interesting for its many Byzantine churches. Some of the structures were refashioned from existing Roman temples. Inscriptions show that the churches were dedicated to a variety of early saints, including Mary, John the Baptist, Cosmos and Damian, George, and Theodore. The South Theatre, which dates from the first century AD, is noted for its perfect acoustics.