Oval Forum in Jerash

Central square in Gerasa

04/2023 The historic site of Jerash, ancient Gerasa, is an archaeological gem whose well-preserved ruins offer one of the best insights into a Roman provincial city outside of Italy. The site demonstrates remarkable architectural elegance and urban organization, manifested at the heart of the complex in two outstanding features: the Oval Forum and the Cardo Maximus. These two interconnected structures formed the vibrant center of public life in ancient Gerasa.

The Oval Forum is a magnificent, paved square with a unique elliptical shape, distinguishing it from the typically rectangular forums in the Roman Empire. It measures approximately 90 meters long and 80 meters wide. The square is surrounded by an elegant colonnade of 1st-century AD Ionic columns supporting a continuous architrave.

The design of the Oval Forum was not static, but adapted over the centuries. Originally, there was a rectangular structure at its center, probably supporting a Roman statue. In a later period, it was converted into a fountain. This phenomenon, in which ancient urban spaces were remodeled by subsequent civilizations and cultures, highlights that the city of Jerash was not just a stone-carved testimony to a single era, but a dynamic place of continuous change. In the recent past, a central column was erected in the middle of the square to support the Jerash Festival Lamp, revitalizing the historic square's connection to contemporary culture.

The square served as a central location for commercial and public affairs, including victory processions, elections, public speeches, and court proceedings, and occasionally even for gladiatorial combats. Its unique form and magnificent row of columns gave it a distinct visual identity. This suggests that the architects of Gerasa did not simply copy a model from the Roman heartland, but created a provincial city with a high degree of architectural sophistication and its own aesthetic understanding.