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129-518: Scythopolis may refer to : an Ancient city in Israel, on the site of modern Beit She'an Scythopolis (see) its former archbishopric, now a Catholic Metropolitan titular see (also referred to as Scitopoli) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Scythopolis . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

258-577: A 363 earthquake destroyed many structures it declined further, eventually being abandoned. The Sasanian Empire in the east became the Byzantines' rivals, and frequent confrontations sometimes led to the Sasanids controlling some parts of the region, including Transjordan. In 629, during the Battle of Mu'tah in what is today Karak Governorate , the Byzantines and their Arab Christian clients ,

387-479: A Mediterranean climate , while the eastern and northeastern areas of the country are arid desert. Although the deserts reach high temperatures, the heat is usually moderated by low humidity and a daytime breeze, while the nights are cool. Summers, lasting from May to September, are hot and dry, with temperatures averaging around 32 °C (90 °F) and sometimes exceeding 40 °C (104 °F) between July and August. The winter, lasting from November to March,

516-503: A census conducted in 1922 by the British Mandate authorities , Beit She'an (Baisan) had a population of 1,941, consisting of 1,687 Muslims, 41 Jews and 213 Christians. In 1934, Lawrence of Arabia noted that "Bisan is now a purely Arab village," where "very fine views of the river can be had from the housetops." He further noted that "many nomad and Bedouin encampments, distinguished by their black tents, were scattered about

645-656: A development town . From 1969, Beit She'an was a target for Katyusha rockets and mortar attacks from Jordan. In the 1974 Beit She'an attack , militants of the Popular Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine , took over an apartment building and murdered a family of four. In 1999, Beit She'an was incorporated as a city. Geographically, it lies in the middle of the Emek HaMaayanot Regional Council , formerly

774-648: A "grotesque" type linked to the Aegean which caused earlier archaeologists to suggest they were of the "sea peoples" which pharaoh Ramses III claimed to have resettled in the region. An Iron Age I (1200–1000 BC) Canaanite city was constructed on the site of the Egyptian center shortly after its destruction. According to the Hebrew Bible , around 1000 BC the town became part of the larger Israelite kingdom . 1 Kings ( 1 Kings 4:12 ) refers to Beit She'an as part of

903-669: A 26 kilometres (16 mi) shoreline on the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea but is otherwise landlocked. The Yarmuk River , an eastern tributary of the Jordan, forms part of the boundary between Jordan and Syria (including the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights ) to the north. The other boundaries are formed by several international and local agreements and do not follow well-defined natural features. The highest point

1032-522: A heavy tribute." In 1870/1871, an Ottoman census listed the village in the nahiya (sub-district) of Shafa al-Shamali. In the early 20th century, though still a tiny and obscure village, Beisan was known for its plentiful water supply, fertile soil, and producing olives, grapes, figs, almonds, apricots, and apples. Under the Mandate, the city was the center of the District of Baysan . According to

1161-500: A high Human Development Index , ranking 99th, and is considered a lower middle income economy. The Jordanian economy , one of the smallest economies in the region, is attractive to foreign investors based upon a skilled workforce. The country is a major tourist destination, also attracting medical tourism with its well-developed health sector . Nonetheless, a lack of natural resources, large flow of refugees, and regional turmoil have hampered economic growth. Jordan takes its name from

1290-711: A level of autonomy by forming the Decapolis , a ten-city league. Jerash is one of the best preserved Roman cities in the East; it was even visited by Emperor Hadrian during his journey to Palestine. In 324 AD, the Roman Empire split and the Eastern Roman Empire, later known as the Byzantine Empire , continued to control or influence the region until 636. Christianity had become legal within

1419-812: A likely gap during the Late Chalcolithic period (ca. 4000–3300 BC). Settlement seems to have resumed at the beginning of the Early Bronze Age I (3200–3000) and continues throughout this period, is then missing during the Early Bronze Age II, and then resumes in the Early Bronze Age III. A large cemetery on the northern mound was in use from the Bronze Age to Byzantine times. Canaanite graves dating from 2000 to 1600 BC were discovered there in 1926. After

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1548-419: A main plaza into a cemetery. However, some recently discovered counter-evidence may be offered to this picture of decline. In common with state-directed building work carried out in other towns and cities in the region during the 720s, Baysan's commercial infrastructure was refurbished: its main colonnaded market street, once thought to date to the sixth century, is now known—based on a mosaic inscription—to be

1677-522: A majority vote of no confidence by the elected House of Representatives. After a bill is proposed by the government, it must be approved by the House of Representatives then the Senate and becomes law after being ratified by the king. A royal veto on legislation can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in a joint session of both houses. The parliament also has the right of interpellation . The 65 members of

1806-541: A national army; and that free trade be maintained between Transjordan and the rest of the region. Abdullah, the second son of Sharif Hussein, arrived from Hejaz by train in Ma'an in southern Transjordan on 21 November 1920 to redeem the Greater Syrian Kingdom his brother had lost. Transjordan then was in disarray, widely considered to be ungovernable with its dysfunctional local governments. Abdullah gained

1935-456: A number of times since, is the legal framework that governs the monarch, government, bicameral legislature and judiciary. The king retains wide executive and legislative powers from the government and parliament . The king exercises his powers through the government that he appoints for a four-year term, which is responsible before the parliament that is made up of two chambers: the Senate and

2064-631: A period of relative prosperity in the 16th century but were later abandoned. Transjordan was of marginal importance to the Ottoman authorities. As a result, Ottoman presence was virtually absent and reduced to annual tax collection visits. More Arab Bedouin tribes moved into Transjordan from Syria and the Hejaz during the first three centuries of Ottoman rule, including the Adwan , the Bani Sakhr and

2193-475: A redesign dating from the time of the Umayyad caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik (r. 724–43). Al-Bakri of al-Andalus noted that the wine produced there was delicious. On January 18, 749, Umayyad Baysan was devastated by a catastrophic earthquake . A few residential neighborhoods grew among the ruins, probably established by the survivors, but the city never recovered its magnificence. The city center moved to

2322-558: Is Jabal Umm al Dami , at 1,854 m (6,083 ft) above sea level, while the lowest is the Dead Sea −420 m (−1,378 ft), the lowest land point on Earth . Jordan has a diverse range of habitats, ecosystems and biota because of its varied landscapes and environments. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature was set up in 1966 to protect and manage Jordan's natural resources. Nature reserves in Jordan include

2451-518: Is Sunni Muslim , with the rest being mostly Arab Christian . Jordan was mostly unscathed by the violence that swept the region following the Arab Spring in 2010. From as early as 1948, Jordan has accepted refugees from multiple neighbouring countries in conflict. An estimated 2.1 million Palestinian refugees , most of whom hold Jordanian citizenship, as well as 1.4 million Syrian refugees , were residing in Jordan as of 2015. The kingdom

2580-575: Is also a refuge for thousands of Christian Iraqis fleeing persecution. While Jordan continues to accept refugees, the large Syrian influx during the 2010s has placed substantial strain on national resources and infrastructure. The sovereign state is a constitutional monarchy , but the king holds wide executive and legislative powers. Jordan is a founding member of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . The country has

2709-426: Is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and the east, Iraq to the north-east , Syria to the north , and Israel and Palestine ( West Bank ) to the west. The east is an arid plateau irrigated by oases and seasonal streams. Major cities are overwhelmingly located on the north-western part of the kingdom with its fertile soils and relatively abundant rainfall. These include Irbid , Jerash and Zarqa in

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2838-464: Is considered to be a rare event in the country, and Jordan's internal security was dramatically improved afterwards. No major terrorist attacks have occurred since then. Abdullah and Jordan are viewed with contempt by Islamic extremists for the country's peace treaty with Israel, its relationship with the West, and its mostly non-religious laws. The Arab Spring were large-scale protests that erupted in

2967-463: Is relatively cool, with temperatures averaging around 11.08 °C (52 °F). Winter also sees frequent showers and occasional snowfall in some western elevated areas. Over 2,000 plant species have been recorded. Many of the flowering plants bloom in the spring after the winter rains and the type of vegetation depends largely on the levels of precipitation. The mountainous regions in the northwest are clothed in forests, while further south and east

3096-641: The 1948 Arab–Israeli War , Jordan intervened in Palestine together with many other Arab states. Following the war, Jordan controlled the West Bank , and on 24 April 1950 Jordan formally annexed these territories after the Jericho Conference . In response, some Arab countries demanded Jordan's expulsion from the Arab League . On 12 June 1950, the Arab League declared that the annexation

3225-624: The Arab Federation as a response to the formation of the rival United Arab Republic between Nasser's Egypt and Syria. The union lasted only six months, being dissolved after Iraqi King Faisal II (Hussein's cousin) was deposed by a bloody military coup on 14 July 1958 . Jordan signed a military pact with Egypt just before Israel launched a preemptive strike on Egypt to begin the Six-Day War in June 1967, where Jordan and Syria joined

3354-451: The Arab world in 2011, demanding economic and political reforms. Many of these protests tore down regimes in some Arab nations, leading to instability that ended with violent civil wars. In response to domestic unrest , Abdullah replaced his prime minister and introduced reforms including reforming the constitution and laws governing public freedoms and elections. Proportional representation

3483-864: The Assyrian and later Babylonian empires. In the third century BC, the Arab Nabataeans established their kingdom centered in Petra . The Greco-Roman period saw the establishment of several cities in Transjordan that comprised the Decapolis . Later, the Islamic era began after end of Byzantine rule that set off Islamic empires of the Rashidun , Umayyad , Abbasid , and the Ottoman . Following

3612-634: The Battle of Hattin (1187) near Lake Tiberias just north of Transjordan, the Crusaders lost to Saladin , the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty (1187–1260). The Ayyubids built the Ajloun Castle and rebuilt older castles to be used as military outposts against the Crusaders. Villages in Transjordan under the Ayyubids became important stops for Muslim pilgrims going to Mecca who travelled along

3741-681: The Beit She'an National Park . The town is located near the Jordan River Crossing , one of three crossing points between Israel and Jordan . Beit She'an's location has always been strategically significant, due to its position at the junction of the Jordan River Valley and the Jezreel Valley , essentially controlling access from Jordan and the inland to the coast, as well as from Jerusalem and Jericho to

3870-543: The Bronze Age (3600–1200 BC). Wadi Feynan became a regional centre for copper extraction: the metal was exploited on a large scale to produce bronze. Trade and movement of people in the Middle East peaked, spreading cultural innovations and whole civilizations to spread. Villages in Transjordan expanded rapidly in areas with reliable water-resources and arable land. Ancient Egyptian populations expanded towards

3999-893: The Dana Biosphere Reserve , the Azraq Wetland Reserve , the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve and the Mujib Nature Reserve . The climate varies greatly; generally, the further inland from the Mediterranean, there are greater contrasts in temperature and less rainfall. The average elevation is 812 m (2,664 ft) above sea level. The highlands above the Jordan Valley, mountains of the Dead Sea and Wadi Araba and as far south as Ras Al-Naqab are dominated by

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4128-478: The Eastern Mediterranean . Though the exact circumstances are unclear, the entire site of Beit She'an was destroyed by fire around 1150 BC. The Egyptians did not attempt to rebuild their administrative center and finally lost control of the region. Over 50 clay anthropoid coffins were found at the site mainly from the 13th and 12th centuries BC. Most are in the typical Egyptian style but some are of

4257-608: The Galilee . Beit She'an is situated on Highway 90 , the north–south road which runs the length of the eastern edge of Israel and the West Bank. The city stretches over an area of 7 square kilometers with a substantial national park in the north of the city. Beit She'an has a population of 20,000. Today the town is under the administration of the Emek HaMa'ayanot Regional Council . In 1933, archaeologist G.M. FitzGerald, under

4386-679: The Ghassanids , staved off an attack by a Muslim Rashidun force that marched northwards towards the Levant from the Hejaz. The Byzantines however were defeated by the Muslims in 636 at the decisive Battle of the Yarmuk just north of Transjordan. Transjordan was an essential territory for the conquest of Damascus. The Rashidun caliphate was followed by that of the Umayyads (661–750). Under

4515-505: The Hejaz desert, up to as far north as Damascus , which it controlled for a short period (85–71 BC). The Nabataeans massed a fortune from their control of the trade routes, often drawing the envy of their neighbours. Petra, Nabataea's capital, flourished in the 1st century AD, driven by its extensive water irrigation systems and agriculture. The Nabataeans were talented stone carvers , building their most elaborate structure, Al-Khazneh , in

4644-639: The Hejaz Railway in 1908—stretching across the length of Transjordan and linking Damascus with Medina —helped the population economically, as Transjordan became a stopover for pilgrims. Increasing policies of Turkification and centralization adopted by the Ottoman Empire in the wake of the 1908 Young Turk Revolution disenchanted the Arabs of the Levant, which contributed to the development of an Arab nationalist movement. These changes led to

4773-560: The House of Representatives . The judiciary is independent according to the constitution but in practice often lacks independence. The king is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces . He can declare war and peace, ratify laws and treaties, convene and close legislative sessions, call and postpone elections, dismiss the government, and dissolve the parliament. The appointed government can also be dismissed through

4902-558: The Howeitat . These tribes laid claims to different parts of the region, and with the absence of a meaningful Ottoman authority, Transjordan slid into a state of anarchy that continued until the 19th century. This led to a short-lived occupation by the Wahhabi forces (1803–1812), an ultra-orthodox Islamic movement that emerged in Najd (in modern-day Saudi Arabia). Ibrahim Pasha , son of

5031-518: The Jordan River , which forms much of the country's northwestern border. While several theories for the origin of the river's name have been proposed, it is most plausible that it derives from the Hebrew word Yarad ( ירד ), meaning "the descender", reflecting the river's declivity. Much of the area that makes up modern Jordan was historically called Transjordan , meaning "across the Jordan";

5160-550: The Late Pleistocene , which resulted in the formation of numerous remains-preserving wetlands in the region. Past lakeshore environments attracted different groups of hominids, and several remains of tools dating from the Late Pleistocene have been found there. Scientists have found the world's oldest known evidence of bread-making at a 14,500-year-old Natufian site in Jordan's northeastern desert. During

5289-618: The Neolithic period (10,000–4,500 BC), there was a transition there from a hunter-gatherer culture to a culture with established populous agricultural villages. 'Ain Ghazal , one such village located at a site in the eastern part of present-day Amman , is one of the largest known prehistoric settlements in the Near East . Dozens of plaster statues of the human form, dating to 7250 BC or earlier, have been uncovered there; they are one of

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5418-429: The Rabat summit conference in 1974, in the aftermath of the Yom-Kippur War, Jordan and the rest of the Arab League agreed that the PLO was the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people". Subsequently, Jordan renounced its claims to the West Bank in 1988. At the 1991 Madrid Conference , Jordan agreed to negotiate a peace treaty sponsored by the US and the Soviet Union. The Israel–Jordan peace treaty

5547-432: The University of Pennsylvania Museum (Penn Museum) may date from about the same period as Thutmose III 's conquest, though the Hebrew University excavations suggest that it dates to a later period. Artifacts of potential cultic significance were found around the temple. Based on an Egyptian stele found at the place, the temple was dedicated to the god Mekal. The Hebrew University excavations determined that this temple

5676-413: The conquest of Beit She'an by Pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BCE, as recorded in an inscription at Karnak , the small town on the summit of the mound became the center of the Egyptian administration of the region. The Egyptian newcomers changed the organization of the town and left a great deal of material culture behind. A large Canaanite temple (39 m (128 ft) in length) excavated by

5805-416: The governor of the Egypt Eyalet , rooted out the Wahhabis under the request of the Ottoman sultan by 1818. In 1833 Pasha turned on the Ottomans and established his rule over the Levant. His policies led to the unsuccessful peasants' revolt in Palestine in 1834. Transjordanian cities of As-Salt and Al-Karak were destroyed by Pasha's forces for harboring a peasants' revolt leader . Egyptian rule

5934-408: The tell , and a wall enclosed the entire city. Textual sources mention several other churches in the town. Scythopolis was primarily Christian, as attested to by many churches, but evidence of Jewish habitation and a Samaritan synagogue indicate established communities of these minorities. The pagan temple in the city centre was destroyed, but the nymphaeum and the thermae were restored. Many of

6063-399: The white-spectacled bulbul . Four terrestrial ecoregions lie with Jordan's borders: Syrian xeric grasslands and shrublands , Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests , Mesopotamian shrub desert , and Red Sea Nubo-Sindian tropical desert and semi-desert . Jordan is a unitary state under a constitutional monarchy . Its constitution , adopted in 1952 and amended

6192-402: The zodiac in the Lady Mary's Monastery, or the one with a temple menorah and the phrase shalom in the House of Leontius synagogue . The Samaritan synagogue's mosaic was unique in its aniconic abstention from human or animal images, instead using floral and geometrical motifs. Elaborate decorations were also found in the settlement's many luxurious villas, and in the 6th century especially,

6321-402: The 1916 Great Arab Revolt during World War I , former Ottoman Syria was partitioned , leading to the establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan in 1921, which became a British protectorate. In 1946, the country gained independence and became officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The country captured and annexed the West Bank during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War until it

6450-439: The 2016 election), Christians (9 seats) and Circassians and Chechens (3 seats). Courts are divided into three categories: civil, religious, and special. The civil courts deal with civil and criminal matters, including cases brought against the government. The civil courts include magistrate courts, courts of first instance, courts of appeal, high administrative courts which hear cases relating to administrative matters, and

6579-401: The Arabist cause, offered support. The revolt started on 5 June 1916 from Medina and pushed northwards until the fighting reached Transjordan in the Battle of Aqaba on 6 July 1917. The revolt reached its climax when Faisal entered Damascus in October 1918 and established an Arab-led military administration in OETA East , later declared as the Arab Kingdom of Syria , both of which Transjordan

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6708-411: The Beit She'an Valley Regional Council. Jordan Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia . Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories to the west. The Jordan River , flowing into the Dead Sea , is located along

6837-443: The British stated their willingness to recognize the independence of a unified Arab state stretching from Aleppo to Aden under the rule of the Hashemites. British High Commissioner Herbert Samuel travelled to Transjordan on 21 August 1920 to meet with As-Salt's residents. He there declared to a crowd of 600 Transjordanian notables that the British government would aid the establishment of local governments in Transjordan, which

6966-434: The Jewish state in the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine , and was captured by the Haganah in May 1948. The battle over the town during Operation Gideon caused most of its inhabitants to flee, and the remainder were expelled. The town was then resettled by Jewish immigrants. Today, Beit She'an serves as a regional centre for the towns in the Beit She'an Valley. The ancient city ruins are now protected within

7095-402: The Kingdom of Jerusalem was Adam, a younger son of Robert III de Béthune, peer of Flanders and head of the House of Béthune . His descendants were known by the family name de Bessan . It occasionally passed back under royal control until new lords were created. The town became part of the Belvoir fiefdom . A small Crusader fortress surrounded by a moat was built in the area southeast of

7224-416: The Levant and came to control both banks of the Jordan River. During the Iron Age (1200–332 BC), after the withdrawal of the Egyptians, Transjordan was home to the kingdoms of Ammon , Edom and Moab . These peoples spoke Semitic languages of the Canaanite group ; archaeologists have concluded that their polities were tribal kingdoms rather than states. Ammon was located in the Amman plateau; Moab in

7353-451: The Levant. As had happened during the Roman era, growth of maritime trade diminished Transjordan's central position, and the area became increasingly impoverished. After the decline of the Abbasids, Transjordan was ruled by the Fatimid Caliphate (969–1070), then by the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem (1115–1187). The Crusaders constructed several castles as part of the Lordship of Oultrejordain, including Montreal and Al-Karak. During

7482-471: The Levant. In Transjordan and with Ottoman support, Circassians first settled in the long-abandoned vicinity of Amman in 1867 and later in the surrounding villages. The Ottoman authorities' establishment of its administration, conscription and heavy taxation policies led to revolts in the areas it controlled. Transjordan's tribes in particular revolted during the Shoubak (1905) and the Karak revolts (1910), which were brutally suppressed. The construction of

7611-402: The Ottoman feudal land system, which leased tracts of land to tenants and collected taxes from them for their use. The Swiss–German traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt described Beisan in 1812: "The present village of Bysan contains seventy or eighty houses; its inhabitants are in a miserable condition, from being exposed to the depredations of the Bedouins of the Ghor , to whom they also pay

7740-406: The Palestinians had limited involvement against the Israeli forces, the events at Karameh gained wide recognition and acclaim in the Arab world. As a result, there was an upsurge of support for Palestinian paramilitary elements (the fedayeen ) within Jordan from other Arab countries. The fedayeen activities soon became a threat to Jordan's rule of law. In September 1970, the Jordanian army targeted

7869-414: The Roman culture. Some Edomites survived longer – driven by the Nabataeans, they had migrated to southern Judea , which became known as Idumaea ; they were later converted to Judaism by the Hasmoneans . Alexander the Great 's conquest of the Persian Empire in 332 BC introduced Hellenistic culture to the Middle East. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, the empire split among his generals, and in

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7998-399: The Roman influence. Mount Gilboa , 7 km (4 mi) away, provided dark basalt blocks, as well as water (via an aqueduct) to the town. Beit She'an is said to have sided with the Romans during the early phase of the First Jewish–Roman War in 66 CE. Excavations have focused less on the Roman period ruins, so not much is known about this period. The Penn. University Museum excavation of

8127-409: The Roman theatre, where the diminished town had relocated after the 749 earthquake. The fortress was destroyed by Saladin in 1183. During the 1260 Battle of Ain Jalut , retreating Mongol forces passed near but did not enter the town. Under Mamluk rule, Beit She'an was the principal town in the district of Damascus and a relay station for the postal service between Damascus and Cairo . It

8256-423: The Scythians", possibly named after the Scythian mercenaries who settled there as veterans. Little is known about the Hellenistic city, but during the 3rd century BCE a large temple was constructed on the tell. It is unknown which deity was worshipped there, but the temple continued to be used during Roman times. Graves dating from the Hellenistic period are simple, singular rock-cut tombs . From 301 to 198 BCE

8385-412: The State of Israel. Most Arab Christians relocated to Nazareth . Historian Saleh Abdel Jawad writes that Beisan experienced a massacre via aerial bombardment by Israeli forces that was "entirely without military justification" and which was used as "a tool of expulsion". A ma'abarah (refugee camp) inhabited mainly by North African Jewish refugees was erected in Beit She'an, and it later became

8514-501: The Umayyad Caliphate, several desert castles were constructed in Transjordan, including: Qasr Al-Mshatta and Qasr Al-Hallabat . The Abbasid Caliphate 's campaign to take over the Umayyad's began in a village in Transjordan known as Humayma . The powerful 749 earthquake is thought to have contributed to the Umayyads' defeat by the Abbasids , who moved the caliphate's capital from Damascus to Baghdad . During Abbasid rule (750–969), several Arab tribes moved northwards and settled in

8643-400: The area was under the control of the Ptolemies , and Beit She'an is mentioned in 3rd–2nd century BCE written sources describing the Syrian Wars between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties. In 198 BCE the Seleucids finally conquered the region. In 63 BCE, Pompey made Judea a part of the Roman Republic . Beit She'an was refounded and rebuilt by Gabinius . The town center shifted from

8772-444: The auspices of the University of Pennsylvania Museum , carried out a "deep cut" on Tell el-Hisn ("castle hill"), the large tell , or mound, of Beth She'an, in order to determine the earliest occupation of the site. His results suggest that settlement began in the Late Neolithic or Early Chalcolithic periods (sixth to fifth millennia BC.) Occupation continued intermittently throughout the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, with

8901-422: The beginning of the second millennium, a lordship was established in the area under the name of Oultrejordain . The oldest known evidence of hominid habitation in Jordan dates back at least 200,000 years. Jordan is a rich source of Paleolithic human remains (up to 20,000 years old) due to its location within the Levant , where various migrations out of Africa converged, and its more humid climate during

9030-439: The body of King Saul on the walls of Beit She'an". Later, the people of Jabesh-Gilead took the remnants, carried them into their city, and burned them. No archeological evidence was found of a Philistine occupation of Beit She'an, but it is possible the force only passed there. The Hellenistic period saw the reoccupation of the site of Beit She'an under the new name "Scythopolis" ( Ancient Greek : Σκυθόπολις), meaning "City of

9159-558: The building projects that he initiated in Moab and commemorates his glory and his victory against the Israelites. The stele constitutes one of the most important archeological parallels to accounts recorded in the Bible . At the same time, Israel and the Kingdom of Aram-Damascus competed for control of the Gilead. Around 740–720 BC, Israel and Aram-Damascus were conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire . The kingdoms of Ammon, Edom and Moab were subjugated but were allowed to maintain some degree of independence. Then in 627 BC, following after

9288-520: The buildings of Scythopolis were damaged in the 363 Galilee earthquake . In 409, Syria Palaestina was divided and Scythopolis became the capital of the northern region of Palaestina Secunda . and the See of Scythopolis was the Metropolitan archdiocese . Dedicatory inscriptions indicate a preference for donations to religious buildings. Many colourful mosaics were preserved, such as that featuring

9417-460: The capital of the province of Palaestina Secunda , and had a mixed population of Christians , pagans , Jews and Samaritans . After the Arab conquest of the Levant , and following a series of devastating earthquakes (most notably in 749 ), the city lost its prominence, and became a medium-sized country town. The population of the town was completely changed from 1948 to 1950. It had been entirely Muslim and Christian, designated to be part of

9546-849: The city reached its maximum size of 40,000 and spread beyond its period city walls. The Byzantine-era portion of the northern cemetery was excavated in 1926. The tombs from this period consisted of small rock-cut halls with vaulted graves on three sides. A great variety of objects were found in the tombs, including terracotta figurines possibly depicting the Virgin and Child , many terracotta lamps, glass mirrors, bells, tools, knives, finger rings, iron keys, glass beads, bone hairpins, and many other items. Influential Christian personalities who lived or passed through Scythopolis are Procopius of Scythopolis (died July 7, 303), Cyril of Scythopolis (ca. 525–559), Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320 – 403) and Joseph of Tiberias (c. 285 – c. 356) who met there around

9675-425: The constitutional court which was set up in 2012 in order to hear cases regarding the constitutionality of laws. Although Islam is the state religion , the constitution preserves religious and personal freedoms. Religious law only extends to matters of personal status such as divorce and inheritance in religious courts, and is partially based on Islamic sharia law. The special court deals with cases forwarded by

9804-618: The country's western border. Jordan has a small coastline along the Red Sea in its southwest, separated by the Gulf of Aqaba from Egypt . Amman is the country's capital and largest city , as well as the most populous city in the Levant . Modern-day Jordan has been inhabited by humans since the Paleolithic period. Three kingdoms developed in Transjordan during the Iron Age : Ammon , Moab and Edom , which were conquered by

9933-571: The cousin of Herod the Great . One of the most interesting Roman grave finds was a bronze incense shovel with the handle in the form of an animal leg, or hoof, now in the University of Pennsylvania Museum . Copious archaeological remains were found dating to the Byzantine Empire (330–636) and were excavated by the Penn Museum from 1921 to 1923. A rotunda church was constructed on top of

10062-743: The destruction of Beit She'an by fire. Minimal reoccupation occurred until the Hellenistic period . The Hebrew Bible identifies Beit She'an as where the bodies of King Saul and three of his sons were hung by the Philistines after the Battle of Gilboa . According to the biblical narrative, the battle was fought at Mount Gilboa , around the year 1010 BC. The Philistines prevailed and Saul died in battle together with three of his sons, Jonathan , Abinadab and Malchishua , ( 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles , 1 Samuel 31; 1 Chronicles 10 ). 1 Samuel 31:10 states that "the victorious Philistines hung

10191-653: The disintegration of the Assyrians' empire, Babylonians took control of the area. Although the kingdoms supported the Babylonians against Judah in the 597 BC sack of Jerusalem , they rebelled against Babylon a decade later. The kingdoms were reduced to vassals , a status they retained under the Persian and Hellenic empires. By the beginning of Roman rule around 63 BC, the kingdoms of Ammon, Edom and Moab had lost their distinct identities and were assimilated into

10320-514: The districts of Jund al-Urdunn , itself a part of the Bilad al-Sham , until the Crusades. The city declined; structures were built in the streets, narrowing them to mere alleys , and makeshift shops were opened among the colonnades. The city reached a low point in the 8th century, witnessed by the removal of marble for producing lime , the blocking off of the main street, and the conversion of

10449-734: The empire in 313 after co-emperors Constantine and Licinius signed an edict of toleration. In 380, the Edict of Thessalonica made Christianity the official state religion. Transjordan prospered during the Byzantine era, and Christian churches were built throughout the region. The Aqaba Church in Ayla was built during this era; it is considered to be the world's first purpose built Christian church . Umm ar-Rasas in southern Amman contains at least 16 Byzantine churches. Meanwhile, Petra's importance declined as sea trade routes emerged, and after

10578-626: The end much of Transjordan was disputed between the Ptolemies based in Egypt and the Seleucids based in Syria. The Nabataeans , nomadic Arabs based south of Edom, managed to establish an independent kingdom in 169 BC by exploiting the struggle between the two Greek powers. The Nabataean Kingdom controlled much of the trade routes of the region, and it stretched south along the Red Sea coast into

10707-514: The fedayeen and the resultant fighting led to the expulsion of Palestinian fighters from various PLO groups into Lebanon, in a conflict that became known as Black September . In 1973, Egypt and Syria waged the Yom Kippur War on Israel, and fighting occurred along the 1967 Jordan River cease-fire line. Jordan sent a brigade to Syria to attack Israeli units on Syrian territory but did not engage Israeli forces from Jordanian territory. At

10836-505: The first Hebrew book on the geography of the Land of Israel . During the 400 years of Ottoman rule , Baysan lost its regional importance. During the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II when the Jezreel Valley railway , which was part of the Haifa to Damascus extension of the Hejaz railway was constructed, a limited revival took place. The local peasant population was largely impoverished by

10965-901: The first century AD. It is believed to be the mausoleum of the Arab Nabataean King Aretas IV . Roman legions under Pompey conquered much of the Levant in 63 BC, inaugurating a period of Roman rule that lasted four centuries. In 106 AD, Emperor Trajan annexed Nabataea unopposed and rebuilt the King's Highway which became known as the Via Traiana Nova road. The Romans gave the Greek cities of Transjordan—Philadelphia (Amman), Gerasa (Jerash), Gedara (Umm Quays), Pella (Tabaqat Fahl) and Arbila (Irbid)—and other Hellenistic cities in Palestine and southern Syria,

11094-689: The former crown prince of Jordan, who was placed under house arrest, after having been accused of working to "destabilize" the kingdom. Jordan sits strategically at the crossroads of the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, in the Levant area of the Fertile Crescent , a cradle of civilization . Its area is 89,341 square kilometres (34,495 sq mi), and it is 400 kilometres (250 mi) long between its northernmost and southernmost points; Umm Qais and Aqaba respectively. The kingdom lies between 29° and 34° N , and 34° and 40° E . It

11223-731: The foundation for Aqaba 's free-trade zone and Jordan's flourishing information and communication technology sector. He also set up five other special economic zones. However, during the following years Jordan's economy experienced hardship as it dealt with the effects of the Great Recession and spillover from the Arab Spring . Al-Qaeda under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi 's leadership launched coordinated explosions in three hotel lobbies in Amman on 9 November 2005, resulting in 60 deaths and 115 injured. The bombings, which targeted civilians, caused widespread outrage among Jordanians. The attack

11352-698: The highlands east of the Dead Sea; and Edom in the area around Wadi Araba in the south. The northwestern region of the Transjordan, known then as Gilead , was settled by the Israelites . The three kingdoms continually clashed with the neighbouring Hebrew kingdoms of Israel and Judah , centered west of the Jordan River. One record of this is the Mesha Stele , erected by the Moabite king Mesha in 840 BC; in an inscription on it, he lauds himself for

11481-613: The hour." Beisan, then an Arab village, fell to the Jewish militias three days before the end of the Mandate. After Israel's Declaration of Independence in May 1948, during intense shelling by Syrian border units, followed by the recapture of the valley by the Haganah , the Arab inhabitants fled across the Jordan River. The property and buildings abandoned after the conflict were then held by

11610-526: The kingdom of Solomon , though the historical accuracy of this list is debated. Nevertheless, recent archaeomagnetic dates suggest that the first Israelite urban settlement was established either during the Solomonic period or in the pre-Omride phase of the early kingdom of Israel at the latest, and that it was probably destroyed around 935–900 BC. The Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel under Tiglath-Pileser III (732 BC) brought about

11739-402: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Scythopolis&oldid=831780747 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Beit She%27an Beit She'an is believed to be one of

11868-528: The monarchic period. It probably fell under Philistine control during the time of Saul , when, according to the Bible , his body was displayed there along with his sons. During the Hellenistic period , the settlement was known as Scythopolis ( Ancient Greek : Σκυθόπολις ). After the region came under Roman rule, Scythopolis gained imperial free status and was the leading city of the Decapolis . A multi-cultural metropolis under Byzantine rule, it served as

11997-429: The northern cemetery, however, did uncover significant finds. The Roman period tombs are of the loculus type: a rectangular rock-cut spacious chamber with smaller chambers ( loculi ) cut into its side. Bodies were placed directly in the loculi , or inside sarcophagi which were placed in the loculi . A sarcophagus with an inscription identifying its occupant in Greek as "Antiochus, the son of Phallion", may have held

12126-591: The northwest are clothed in natural forests of pine , deciduous oak , evergreen oak , pistachio and wild olive . Mammal and reptile species include, the long-eared hedgehog , Nubian ibex , wild boar , fallow deer , Arabian wolf , desert monitor , honey badger , glass snake , caracal , golden jackal and the roe deer , among others. Bird include the hooded crow , Eurasian jay , lappet-faced vulture , barbary falcon , hoopoe , pharaoh eagle-owl , common cuckoo , Tristram's starling , Palestine sunbird , Sinai rosefinch , lesser kestrel , house crow and

12255-562: The northwest, the capital Amman and As-Salt in the central west, and Madaba , Al-Karak and Aqaba in the southwest. Major towns in the east are the oasis towns of Azraq and Ruwaished . In the west, a highland area of arable land and Mediterranean evergreen forestry drops suddenly into the Jordan Rift Valley . The rift valley contains the Jordan River and the Dead Sea , which separates Jordan from Israel. Jordan has

12384-638: The oldest cities in the region. It has played an important role in history due to its geographical location at the junction of the Jordan River Valley and the Jezreel Valley . Beth She'an's ancient tell contains remains beginning in the Chalcolithic period . When Canaan came under Imperial Egyptian rule in the Late Bronze Age , Beth She'an served as a major Egyptian administrative center. The city came under Israelite rule in

12513-471: The oldest large-scale representations of humans ever found. During the Chalcolithic period (4500–3600 BC), several villages emerged in Transjordan including Tulaylet Ghassul in the Jordan Valley ; a series of circular stone enclosures in the eastern basalt desert from the same period have long baffled archaeologists. Fortified towns and urban centres first emerged in the southern Levant early in

12642-607: The outbreak of the 1916 Arab Revolt during World War I , which ended four centuries of stagnation under Ottoman rule. The revolt was led by Sharif Hussein of Mecca, scion of the Hashemite family of the Hejaz, and his sons Abdullah , Faisal and Ali . Locally, the revolt garnered the support of the Transjordanian tribes, including Bedouins, Circassians and Christians . The Allies of World War I , including Britain and France whose imperial interests converged with

12771-408: The peace treaty. On 7 February 1999, Abdullah II ascended the throne upon the death of his father Hussein, who had ruled for nearly 50 years. Abdullah embarked on economic liberalization when he assumed the throne, and his reforms led to an economic boom which continued until 2008. Abdullah II has been credited with increasing foreign investment, improving public-private partnerships and providing

12900-585: The proposed Jewish state . Jewish forces and local Bedouins first clashed during the 1947–1948 civil war in Mandatory Palestine in February and March 1948, part of Operation Gideon , itself part of Plan Dalet . Joseph Weitz , a leading Yishuv figure, wrote in his diary on May 4, 1948, that, "The Beit Shean Valley is the gate for our state in the Galilee...[I]ts clearing is the need of

13029-561: The provisions of the mandate dealing with Jewish settlement. On 11 April 1921 the Emirate of Transjordan was established with Abdullah as emir. In September 1922, the Council of the League of Nations recognized Transjordan as a state under the terms of the Transjordan memorandum . Transjordan remained a British mandate until 1946, but it had been granted a greater level of autonomy than

13158-600: The rebels’ suspected base. According to population surveys conducted in British Mandate Palestine , Beisan consisted of 5,080 Muslim Arabs out of a population of 5,540 (92% of the population), with the remainder being listed as Christians. In 1945, the surrounding District of Baysan consisted of 16,660 Muslims (67%), 7,590 Jews (30%), and 680 Christians (3%); and Arabs owned 44% of land, Jews owned 34%, and 22% constituted public lands. The 1947 UN Partition Plan allocated Beisan and most of its district to

13287-537: The region west of the Jordan River. Multiple difficulties emerged upon the assumption of power in the region by the Hashemite leadership. In Transjordan, small local rebellions at Kura in 1921 and 1923 were suppressed by Abdullah's forces with the help of the British. Wahhabis from Najd regained strength and repeatedly raided the southern parts of his territory, seriously threatening the emir's position. The emir

13416-405: The riverine plain, their flocks and herds grazing round them." Beisan was home to a mainly Mizrahi Jewish community of 95 until 1936, when the 1936–1939 Arab revolt saw Beisan serve as a center of Arab attacks on Jews in Palestine. In 1938, after learning of the murder of his close friend and Jewish leader Haim Sturmann, Orde Wingate led his men on an offensive in the Arab section of Baysan,

13545-818: The route that connected Syria to the Hejaz. Several of the Ayyubid castles were used and expanded by the Mamluks (1260–1516), who divided Transjordan between the provinces of Karak and Damascus. During the next century Transjordan experienced Mongol attacks, but the Mongols were ultimately repelled by the Mamluks at the Battle of Ain Jalut (1260). In 1516 the Ottoman Caliphate 's forces conquered Mamluk territory . Agricultural villages in Transjordan witnessed

13674-546: The secret 1916 Sykes–Picot Agreement , which divided the region into French and British spheres of influence, and the 1917 Balfour Declaration , in which Britain announced its support for the establishment of a "national home" for Jews in Palestine. This was seen by the Hashemites and the Arabs as a betrayal of their previous agreements with the British, including the 1915 McMahon–Hussein Correspondence , in which

13803-522: The southern hill, where the Crusaders later built a castle. Jerusalemite historian al-Muqaddasi visited Baysan in 985, during the Abbasid Caliphate and wrote that it was "on the river, with plentiful palm trees, and water, though somewhat heavy (brackish.)" He further noted that Baysan was notable for its indigo , rice , dates , and grape syrup known as dibs . Its principal mosque

13932-404: The summit of the mound, or tell, to its slopes. Scythopolis prospered and became the leading city of the Decapolis , the only one west of the Jordan River. The city flourished under the " Pax Romana ", as evidenced by high-level urban planning and extensive construction, including the best preserved Roman theatre of ancient Samaria , as well as a hippodrome , a cardo and other trademarks of

14061-524: The term is used to denote the lands east of the river. The Hebrew Bible uses the term עבר הירדן Ever ha'Yarden ( lit.   ' the other side of the Jordan ' ) for the area. Early Arab chronicles call the river Al-Urdunn (a term cognate to the Hebrew Yarden ). Jund Al-Urdunn was a military district around the river in the early Islamic era. Later, during the Crusades in

14190-608: The throne in 1953 at age 17. Jordan witnessed great political uncertainty in the following period. The 1950s was a period of political upheaval, as Nasserism and Pan-Arabism swept the Arab World. On 1 March 1956, King Hussein Arabized the command of the Army by dismissing a number of senior British officers, an act made to remove remaining foreign influence in the country. In 1958, Jordan and neighbouring Hashemite Iraq formed

14319-489: The trust of Transjordan's tribal leaders before scrambling to convince them of the benefits of an organized government. Abdullah's successes drew the envy of the British, even when it was in their interest. The British reluctantly accepted Abdullah as ruler of Transjordan after having given him a six-month trial. In March 1921, the British decided to add Transjordan to their Mandate for Palestine , in which they would implement their " Sharifian Solution " policy without applying

14448-467: The upper Senate are directly appointed by the king, the constitution mandates that they be veteran politicians, judges and generals who previously served in the government or in the House of Representatives. The 130 members of the lower House of Representatives are elected through party-list proportional representation in 23 constituencies for a 4-year term. Minimum quotas exist in the House of Representatives for women (15 seats, though they won 20 seats in

14577-549: The vegetation becomes more scrubby and transitions to steppe-type vegetation. Forests cover 1.5 million dunums (1,500 km ), less than 2% of Jordan, making Jordan among the world's least forested countries, the international average being 15%. Plant species and genera include the Aleppo pine , Sarcopoterium , Salvia dominica , black iris , Tamarix , Anabasis , Artemisia , Acacia , Mediterranean cypress and Phoenecian juniper . The mountainous regions in

14706-679: The war. The Arab states were defeated, and Jordan lost control of the West Bank to Israel. The War of Attrition with Israel followed, which included the 1968 Battle of Karameh where the combined forces of the Jordanian Armed Forces and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) repelled an Israeli attack on the Karameh camp on the Jordanian border with the West Bank. Despite the fact that

14835-562: The year 355. In 634, Byzantine forces were defeated by the Rashidun army under the Rashid caliph Umar , and the city reverted to its Semitic name, being named Baysan in Arabic. The day of victory came to be known in Arabic as Yawm Baysan "day of Baysan." The city was not damaged; newly-arrived Muslims lived alongside the Christian population until the 8th century. The town formed one of

14964-546: Was forcibly ended in 1841, with Ottoman rule restored. Only after Pasha's campaign did the Ottoman Empire try to solidify its presence in the Syria Vilayet , which Transjordan was part of. A series of tax and land reforms ( Tanzimat ) in 1864 brought some prosperity back to agriculture and to abandoned villages; the end of virtual autonomy led a backlash in other areas of Transjordan. Muslim Circassians and Chechens , fleeing Russian persecution , sought refuge in

15093-522: Was a temporary, practical measure and that Jordan was holding the territory as a "trustee" pending a future settlement. King Abdullah was assassinated at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1951 by a Palestinian militant, amid rumors he intended to sign a peace treaty with Israel. Abdullah was succeeded by his son Talal , who established the country's modern constitution in 1952. Illness caused Talal to abdicate to his eldest son Hussein , who ascended to

15222-541: Was also the capital of sugar cane processing for the region. Jisr al-Maqtu'a, "the truncated/cut-off bridge", a bridge consisting of a single arch spanning 25 ft (7.6 m) and hung 50 ft (15 m) above a stream, was built during that period. During this period, the inhabitants of Baysan were mainly Muslim, but there were some Jews . The 14th century topographer Ishtori Haparchi settled there and completed his work " Bulb and Flower" ( Hebrew : כפתור ופרח , romanized :  Kaftor vaFeraḥ ) in 1322,

15351-642: Was built on the site of an earlier one. One of the most important finds near the temple is the Lion and Lioness (or a dog ) stela, currently in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, which depicts the two playing. During the three hundred years of rule by the New Kingdom of Egypt , the population of Beit She'an appears to have been primarily Egyptian administrative officials and military personnel. The town

15480-465: Was completely rebuilt, following a new layout, during the 19th dynasty . The Penn Museum excavations uncovered two important stelae from the period of Seti I and a monument of Ramesses II . One of those steles is particularly interesting because, according to William F. Albright , it testifies to the presence of a Hebrew population: the Habiru , which Seti I protected from an Asiatic tribe. Pottery

15609-473: Was occupied by Israel in 1967 . Jordan renounced its claim to the territory to the Palestinians in 1988 and signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994. Jordan is a semi-arid country, covering an area of 89,342 km (34,495 sq mi) with a population of 11.5 million, making it the eleventh-most populous Arab country . The dominant majority, or around 95% of the country's population,

15738-542: Was part of. During this period, the southernmost region of the country, including Ma'an and Aqaba , was also claimed by the neighbouring Kingdom of Hejaz . The nascent Hashemite Kingdom over the region of Syria was forced to surrender to French troops on 24 July 1920 during the Battle of Maysalun ; the French occupied only the northern part of Syria, leaving Transjordan in a period of interregnum . Arab aspirations failed to gain international recognition, due mainly to

15867-465: Was produced locally, but some was made to mimic Egyptian forms. Other Canaanite goods existed alongside Egyptian imports, or locally made Egyptian-style objects. The 20th Dynasty saw the construction of large administrative buildings in Beit She'an, including "Building 1500", a small palace for the Egyptian governor. During the 20th Dynasty, invasions of the " Sea Peoples " upset Egypt's control over

15996-670: Was raised to the status of a kingdom under the name of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Arabic, with Abdullah as its first king; although it continued to be referred to as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan in English until 1949. 25 May is now celebrated as the nation's Independence Day , a public holiday . Jordan became a member of the United Nations on 14 December 1955. On 15 May 1948, as part of

16125-543: Was re-introduced to the Jordanian parliament in the 2016 general election , a move which he said would eventually lead to establishing parliamentary governments. Jordan was left largely unscathed from the violence that swept the region despite an influx of 1.4 million Syrian refugees into the natural resources-lacking country and the emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). On 4 April 2021, 19 people were arrested , including Prince Hamzeh ,

16254-400: Was signed on 26 October 1994. In 1997, in retribution for a bombing , Israeli agents entered Jordan using Canadian passports and poisoned Khaled Mashal , a senior Hamas leader living in Jordan. Bowing to intense international pressure, Israel provided an antidote to the poison and released dozens of political prisoners, including Sheikh Ahmed Yassin , after King Hussein threatened to annul

16383-416: Was situated in the center of its marketplace. In the Crusader period , the Lordship of Bessan was occupied by Tancred, Prince of Galilee in 1099; it was never part of the Principality of Galilee , despite its location, but became a royal domain of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1101, probably until around 1120. According to the Lignages d'Outremer , the first Crusader lord of Bessan once it became part of

16512-415: Was to be kept separate from that of Palestine. The second meeting took place in Umm Qais on 2 September, where the British representative Major Fitzroy Somerset received a petition that demanded: an independent Arab government in Transjordan to be led by an Arab prince (emir); land sale in Transjordan to Jews be stopped as well as the prevention of Jewish immigration there; that Britain establish and fund

16641-426: Was unable to repel those raids without the aid of the local Bedouin tribes and the British, who maintained a military base with a small Royal Air Force detachment close to Amman. The Treaty of London , signed by the British government and the Emir of Transjordan on 22 March 1946, recognised the independence of the state. On 25 May 1946, the day that the treaty was ratified by the Transjordan parliament, Transjordan

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