GERASA
GERASENES
169
the public buildings are constructed in connexion with this main thoroughfare. They were all of about the same date, and, taking it all together, this city is the most complete example of the Roman work of the time of tne Antoniiies in SjTia. They are constructed on one general plan, and cannot be considered in architectural remains to be inferior to I'almyra, thougli the ruins of the latter cover a far larfjer area. Keference to the works of Wood and Dawkins and the photogiaplis taken by P(d. Explor. Fund in 1867 will sliow that each city has a distinct architectural character.
On approaching JerAxk from tlie south, attention is attracted by a line arch of triumijh of decorated stone in the Corinthian order, witli three arched passages and a front of 80 ft., leadin" to a paved Konian road running for about 30U yards northerly to the southern gate of the city. On the left-hand side is a naunuichi't or theatre for naval contests, about 700 ft. by 300 ft., with its arena below the level of th2 surrounding ground, in order that it niigiit be filled from an aqueduct wliioh supplied water from the stream. On tlie lull, among tlie hills, is the Necropolis, and sarcopliagi of black basalt with Koman devices are to be seen lying about. The southern gate is in niins, but it is similar in appearance to the triumphal arch. The main street on ent ering the city bears to the left, leailing to an oval colonnade or hiiipodrome, 310 ft. by 230 ft., lined with columns 2 ft. 5 in. in diameter, with capitals of the Ionic order, support- ing a plain entablature. Immediately to the left on entering the city are a large theatre and a temple. The theatre facing north is open, and is constructed to seat over 2000 peo])Ie, with a closed stage 110 ft. across; it is lavishly decorated in the Corinthian order. The tcin]ile lacing nearly east is peripteral, measuring 110 it. by 85 ft. along the walls outside the coll ; the columns are 4 it. in diameter and spaced at 12 ft. intervals from centre to centre. Near the northern end of the hippo- drome the main street, 22 ft. wide, leads in a straight line direct to the north gate, and is adorned with a row of columns on each side with Corinthian capitals supporting an entablature. The columns are about 3 ft. or more in diameter. The road, 22 ft. wide, is paved with hard stone, which has still the marks of chariot wheels, and at the sides are raised pavements for foot passengers. At a distance of about 100 yards is a cross street at ri|,'lit angles, also with a double row of columns, leading up the hill on the left to the west gate, and to the right over the stream by a Roman bridge ; four large pedestals, 12 ft. s<iuare, at the cross streets still remain, where -statues once adorned the city. About 50 yards from the cross streets are some ruined palaces, with columns4 ft. in diameter, with fragments of Egyptian rose granite and remains of frieze, cornice, and pediment, on wliich decorations have been lavished with great exuberance, with an inscription ajiparenlly containing the name of .Marcus .\ureUus Antoninus (A.D. 161-180) ; and at about 100 yards from the cross street, both right and left, are the remains of a series of handsome buildings, one a basilica, grouped in relation to the great temple of the Sun, which stands on a natural eminence nearly in the centre of the citv in the western quarter. The temple facing tlie ca.st measures round the walls of cell 89A ft. by 44^ ft., the platform is 14 ft. wide on each side. It has at the entrance 12 columns, 5 ft. in diameter, spaced at intervals of 12j| ft. from centre to centre ; II of these magnilicent columns still remain in silii, 10 of them surmovinted by their ("orintliian capitals. All the buildings alio\il llii' temple have been highly ornamented. I'rom an inscription copied by linrckhardt it would appear that tlicse buildings were erected in the time of Antoniiuis I'ius. A.U.
138-161. Proceeding farther north we come to a second street of intersections, with a handsome rotunda over the intersection ; the cross street leads on the left to another theatre, and on the right to an extensive building supjiosed to have been a bathing establishment. The theatre is not BO large as that to the south, and has an open stage or .scene. On the east bank of the river to the north is another Corinthian temple facing west, a very unusual aspect for temples ot the 2nd and 3rd cents, in Palestine.
There are many other niins of public buildings not enumerated whose identity has not been established, and a number of inscriptions (more than ten), two of which, near the ruins of a building supjOTsed to have been a church, south of the temple of the Sun, refer to the establishment of Christianity and the discontinuance of pagan wor- ship of about 5tli cent., an important jnece of evidence in connexion with the subject in Syria (Conder, Palestine, p. 180). The stream which runs through Jerds/i is principally fed from springs within the city on east side. There are very full accounts of JerAsh in the travels of Iiuckingham, Hurckhardt, Irby, and Mangles, but no recent sur- veys have been made. Jerdsh was visited by the present writer in 1807, and a sketch plan of the city was made and several plans of temples, which have not yet been published. I'ifteen photo'p'aphs of ruins also were taken, which have been published by the Palestine Exploration Fund. C. Wakren.