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Petra
Arabic:
'al-batrā'
Ancient city in Jordan, west of the city of Ma'an in the southern part of the country.
The city is a former capital of the Nabateans, the Arab people dominating this region before the conquest by the Romans. The city was cut into the rocks, where many of the houses had intricate structures and columns. The approach to the town is through a ravine, at some points less than 4 metres wide. The name 'Petra' comes from Greek, and can be translated with "city of rock".
HISTORY
7,000 BCE: The first settlement here is believed to date back to this time.
4th century BCE: Petra becomes the capital of the Nabateans.
312: Attacked by Antigonus, who killed many of the women and children, while all men were absent.
106 CE: Conquered by the Romans. The Romans start constructing their form of city, with colonnaded streets, baths and theatres. Petra was included into the Roman province of Arabian Patraea.
2nd century: Petra has economic progress.
4th century: The rise of Palmyra results in a quick decline of Petra's importance, as there is no trade left.
7th century: Arab occupation, but by now Petra is only a small town.
12th century: Captured by the crusaders, who settled here and altered many of the buildings.
1812: Petra is "rediscovered" by the Swiss Johann Louis Burckhardt who experienced an understandable unwillingness of the local bedouins to have foreigners intrude into their areas.
© Copyright 1996-2008 LookLex Ltd. All rights reserved
By: Tore Kjeilen
Photos: Marthe Haugland
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