File:The Jordan Valley and Petra (1905) (14596423077).jpg

Identifier: jordanvalleypet01libb (find matches)
Title: The Jordan Valley and Petra
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Libbey, William
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Putnam
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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x centuries afterwards, was the most im-portant site in the plain and land of Moab.Its ruins cover a low mound, two or three milesin circumference, and extend for a thousand yardstoward the east and the west. The remains areplainly those of a Byzantine city, built partly out ofthe ruins of an earlier Roman city, for the Romanstook this city from the Nabatheans, at the over-throw of the Nabathean power in 105 a. d. During the Byzantine period it was a flourishingcity, and was made the seat of one of the bishop-rics of Arabia, since its bishop is mentioned atthe Council of Chalcedon (451 a.d.). The bestauthorities conclude that it was sacked and de-stroyed at the time of the destructive march ofChosroes, the Persian, early in the seventh century.Hence we have here an ancient mound, which haslain undisturbed for over twelve hundred years, andfrom which is now beinof duof the remains of anepiscopal Christian city of the fifth century of ourera. Chosroes swept over this plain in 612-13 260
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Madeba 263 A.D., and left a most marvellous palace in thedesert, four hours cast of Madeba/ Twenty-five years ago Madeba was still a desertmound, lost in the Moab plateau. The AdwanArabs, mentioned so often by travellers, pitchedtheir tents and pastured their flocks about themound, and in the fioor of the ancient pool, withoutknowing or carincr that the ruins of a once flourish-ing city lay beneath their feet. But in 1880 someChristians from Kerak, weary of being trampledupon by the more powerful clans and tribes, in theirnever-ending blood feuds and pillage, resolved toquit that city and found a new colony about themound of ancient Madeba. In turning over thesoil, preparatory to erecting their rude dwellings,they came upon extensive remains of cut stone,broken pillars, ruined cisterns, and fragments ofancient pavements in mosaic. Tristram, who visitedthe mound in 1873, before the place contained anysettled inhabitants, said : I have seen no place inthe country where excavations seem

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