Tabaqat Fahl Travel Guide

The valley in which Pella was built is one of the greenest and most fertile in northern Jordan. I'm told the spring here grows in to a river and never ever runs dry.

In the 7th century AD, Pella was captured by Arab armies and was a significant city in the Umayyad Empire for over 100 years.

But in 747 AD, Pella (along with much of Jordan) was destroyed by a huge earthquake. Only a small, rural community lived here afterwards, during the Mamluk and Abbasid periods.

Most of the villagers left for good when Israel bombed the valley in 1970 and now just a few Roman remains are left of the city of Pella. The large village of Tabaqat Fahil has grown up nearby along with occasional Bedouin communities.

The Romans conquered this part of Trans-Jordan in 63 BC and Pella became one of the extremely prosperous Decapolis cities. The new Roman city pretty much destroyed the old Hellenistic city.

During the Byzantine period Pella grew even more, with the number of trade routes growing. Many churches were built, particularly on the hillsides overlooking the valley.

2000 years before the birth of Christ, the city was a rising trade centre, bringing goods from Syria, Cyprus and Egypt. The Egyptians knew it as Pihilum, or Pehel.

The Hellenic name Pella came when Alexander's empire divided. The city changed hands several times between the Ptolemies and Seleucids, and was sacked by the Hasmoneans as well.

Pella is one of the most ancient sites in Jordan and has produced countless archaeological finds from Roman times, particularly coins. Although most of this archaeological interest has now (I think) been exhausted, the boys from the village will be happy to offer you "priceless original Roman coins" for a pound or so.

Aretefacts dating back to the Neolithic period have been found here, and some experts think the area even dates back to Paleolithic times 100,000 years ago!