A sprawling city spread over 19 hills. Amman is the modern, as well as the ancient capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. During the Iron Age and later as Philadelphia, the ancient city that was once part of the Decapolis league, now boasts a population of around 1.5 million.  

Often referred to as the white city, due to its low size canvas of stone houses, Amman offers a variety of historical sites. Towering above Amman, the site of the earliest fortifications is now subject to numerous excavations which have revealed remains from the Neolithic period as well as from the Hellenistic and late Roman to Arab Islamic Ages. The site which is known as the Citadel includes many structures such as the Temple of Hercules, the Omayyad Palace and the Byzantine Church.

At the foot of the Citadel lies the 6000 seat Roman Theatre which is a deep-sided bowl carved into the hill and still used for cultural events. Another newly restored theatre is the 500-seat Odeon which is used for concerts. The three museums found in the area offer a glimpse of history and culture, they are the Jordan Archaeological Museum, The Folklore Museum and the Museum of Popular Tradition.