IRBID (ARABELLA)

Irbid, the bride of the north, is considered as one of the most beautiful Jordanian cities. Its population amount to 650.000 and situated on a plain land, 65 k.m to the north of the capital, Amman. It is situated in the north west of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, surrounded by fertile agricultural lands from north, east and south. Irbid witnessed human settlements 5000 B.C, such as settlements of the adomites and ghassenids civilizations.

It was distinguished by the Greek, roman and Islamic civilization leaving behind them historical and archaeological sites. Roman and Greek cities such as, Arabella (Irbid), capitolias (bei-tras), dion (al-husin), gadara (umm qais), Pella (tabeqt fahel) and abello (qwailbeh) were established. They were members of the decapolis: a pact that consists of the roman cities in the area. Ghassenids had established their country in the north of Jordan covering Irbid, Golan and horan plains. Christianity spread out there in the second and the Irbid century A.D. Irbid witnessed the adomites and ammonits civilization its significance was reflected in the helesnic age. with the missionary word of Islam , the Islamic opening armies achieved and advanced an advance. As a result, sharhabeel bin hasnaa made a glorious Islamic victory in 13 A H (634 A.D) he opened Irbid, beit –ras and mm qais the Islamic leader Abu obideh amer bin al _jarrah was able to open Pella.

In 15 A.H. (636 A.D) and in the prime of these victories, Khalid bin al- walid managed to crush out the roman armies in the everlasting yarmouk battle. Consequently, he managed to put an end to the roman existence. In 583 A.H. (1187 AD) saladin’s caravans advanced to hittin in which the most ferocious battle in the history of the crusading war took place, this battle was followed by liberating Jerusalem and returning it back to the Islam sovereignty. During this time, irbid played an essential role as a strategic area during the mamluke age especially in the field of serving the bilgrims caravans coming from turkey, the north of iraq and the south of Russia. The Islamic opening left many graves of the companions of the prophet Mohammed, many mosques and Islamic buildings such as Dar assaraya (the former prison), which has been converted into antiquity museum, hirbars mamluke mosque Irbid mamluke mosque and saham Umayyad mosque.

Irbid governorate plays a significant role as it part of the hashemite kingdom of Jordan which was founded by late Abdullah bin al- Hussein whose banner was carried by late king talal bin Abdullah and late king Hussein bin talal-king Abdullah bin el-Hussein, the second, has kept on constructing the modern Jordan, Jordan of freedom an democracy, Jordan of Arab pride and Jordan of the Arab greater revolution.