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Petra had been until the second century A.C. the splendid Capital of the Nabateans reign in the region that today is called Trans-Jordan.

It located within a long and deep canyon in the Jordan desert, southwards from Amman, the modern capital of Jordan Reign and its impressive ruins show many beautiful palaces, theatres, temples totally carved in the yellow-pink rock of that canyon.

The entrance to the centre of the town is possible only through the narrowest part of the canyon and this position allowed Nabateans to easily defend it from enemies.

Its buildings show an Hellenistic style with also Roman influnces, given that Petra, in the first century A.C., was included in the Roman Empire, knowing its last period of splendor.

With the decline of Rome, Petra was progressively abandoned and then, even its memory was lost, until its new discovery at the beginning of last century, following the traces given by some Bedouin legends.

Who were the Nabateans? Essentially, MERCHANTS, controlling the caravan paths from Jordan River Valley to Arabia and Mesopotamia and the impressiveness of Petra ruins shows their richness and influence.

The town could live collecting rains and sources waters (normally scarce in that stone desert, with an advanced system of canalizations and reservoirs to collect and distribute water to the whole town.

Learn more about this author, Aldo Bonincontro.
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