The Theater
The Theater is an ancient rock-cut theatre in Petra, in southern Jordan. It has a semicircular seating area arranged on three levels, facing a stone stage with three entrances.
The theater was built during the early Roman period under the Nabataean king Aretas IV, when Petra was one of the most active trading cities in the region. A later expansion cut through older rock tombs to add more seating, and the remains of those tombs are still visible on the back wall.
The theater sits along one of the busiest routes through ancient Petra, where traders and visitors from many places passed through. Its layout, with rows of seats facing a central stage, shows that public events were a core part of daily life in the city.
The theater stands along the main path through Petra and is easy to reach on foot from the entrance. The ground is uneven and made of natural rock, so sturdy footwear is a good idea before setting out.
Two tunnel-like passages run beneath the seating and allowed audiences to enter and leave quickly during events. These corridors are still visible today and show how the builders worked with the natural rock as a structural material.
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