Architecture Of Gerasa

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In 323 BC, under the rule of Alexander the great, the city of Gerasa was apart of the ten municipal cities that were recognized as the Decopolis. The city of Gerasa was a Hellenistic settlement and its founding years were predominately influenced by Greek culture. Eventually, the Roman Empire took control of the Decopolis and added their own temples roads and structures to pre-existing cities such as Gerasa. The year AD 106 was a monumental time for the Roman Empire as Emperor Trajan annexed parts of Arabia and southern Jordan, to expand the Empire even further. As a result of the newly created Roman province, the city of Gerasa underwent extensive expansion and re-development in the time following Trajans rule. Because the area was previously
The temple of Artemis is considered one of the most significant monuments of Roman religious architecture in the Near East due to its size and grand situation. It was originally built during the Hellenistic period and then rebuilt and enlarged under the influence of the classical world. The original Temple, dedicated to the Hellenic protecting divinity Artemis, was set at the center of the city. It was placed on elevated and sacred grounds, and served as the primary sanctuary of the city for the Hellenic people. The original building, which began in AD 23 and was still under construction half a century later, was characterized by it’s ionic order
Thus, construction of Roman architecture in the Near East was a common occurrence during this time period. However, while there are indeed various architectural similarities, the Temple of Artemis is especially unique because it is the product of reconstruction and expansion of a preexisting Hellenistic structure. While other structures, such as the Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek were constructed entirely from Roman design, the Temple of Artemis is unique for its adaptation of original Hellenistic design. The hybridization of Roman and Hellenistic design creates a particular style of architecture that attributes to the uniqueness of

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