Roman Theatre of Amman, Roman theater at downtown, Amman, Jordan.
The Roman Theatre of Amman is an archaeological monument and ancient theater in the center of the Jordanian capital. The seating rises in three large sections against a hillside, with steps cut directly from pale limestone into the rock and space for about 6000 visitors.
This construction appeared in the second century under Emperor Antoninus Pius, when the city was still called Philadelphia and part of the Roman Empire. The location right next to the forum of the ancient settlement made the theater the center of public gatherings and ceremonial occasions.
The ancient Roman site still carries the Arabic word for amphitheater in its local name, and families from the city use the lower seating rows as a meeting spot on cool evenings. When international musicians or local ensembles perform here, the old stone benches fill again with life as they did in ancient times.
Admission is free for the main theater area, but the two small museums beside the entrance require separate tickets. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes because the steps are uneven and climb steeply upward, and there is little shade during midday hours.
Between the stage and the first seating rows lies a specific point where the acoustics amplify every spoken word and even a soft whisper carries up to the highest rows. This acoustic phenomenon was a deliberate Roman engineering feat that still works today and is used during events.
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