“Amman's Roman Theatre was deliberately cut into a north-facing hill so its 6,000 stone seats stay shaded from the afternoon sun, and it still hosts performances today.”
About Roman Theatre
Built in the second century CE when Amman was the Roman city of Philadelphia, the theatre was carved into the hillside during the reign of Antoninus Pius. It was restored in the twentieth century and remains a working venue, while two flanking museums preserve Jordanian folk costume and daily-life traditions.
Overview The Roman Theatre is the grandest monument of ancient Philadelphia, as Amman was then known, cut into the north side of a downtown hill so that its steep stone tiers face away from the afternoon sun. Built in the second century CE, it seats around six thousand and is still used for performances. Two small museums of popular tradition and folklore flank the stage.
Built in the second century CE, it seats around six thousand and is still used for performances.
In the City Unlike many ruins, the theatre sits right in the busy heart of modern Amman, fronted by a colonnaded plaza, so you step from city traffic straight into a Roman auditorium. The climb to the top row is steep but rewards you with a view back over the downtown and up to the Citadel.
The Experience
From the colonnaded forecourt you climb the steep tiers, each step worn smooth, until the whole downtown opens below and the Citadel rises across the valley. The acoustics are sharp enough that a normal voice from the stage reaches the upper rows. The deliberate north orientation keeps the seats in shade through the hot afternoons.
Why It Matters
The Roman Theatre is the most prominent classical monument in central Amman and the centrepiece of the ancient city of Philadelphia, a rare large Roman structure still in everyday public use.
The Roman Theatre is the most prominent classical monument in central Amman and the centrepiece of the ancient city of Philadelphia, a rare large Roman structure still in everyday public use.
Why Visit
It is the easiest major Roman site to reach in Jordan, sitting in the middle of the capital and free to climb. Visit late in the day for shade and light, test the acoustics from the stage, and look across to the Citadel above.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Climb to the top tier for the view back over downtown Amman and up to the Citadel.
- 2
Visit the two small folklore and popular-tradition museums set into the wings.
- 3
The stone seats stay shaded in the afternoon thanks to the theatre's north orientation.
- 4
It is an easy walk from downtown sights, so combine it with the Citadel above.
