In the first century BC Philadelphia became under the Roman control. It got its present name, Amman, in the Ghasanaian era, and flourished under the Ummayads and the Abbasids. Then it was destroyed by the many earthquakes and disasters until 1887 which marks the settlement of the Circassians.
On March 2, 1921 Prince Abdullah chose Amman as his seat of government. This date marks the beginning of the modern history of Amman and Jordan. Lack of resources did not discourage people. Until 1948, Amman remained confined to the two main valley beds. Since then, the population has grown steadily as a result of the influx of Palestinian refuges. Residential areas have spread out from the centre of the city to the surrounding hills.
In the last two decades, Amman has undergone an exceptionally rapid rate of development and witnessed feverish building activities. Its population is estimated at about 1.2 million people. Amman has two major airports, Queen Alia airport and Amman Civil Airport.
One of the most fascinating tourist sits in Amman is the Roman Amphitheatre. It was constructed at the beginning of the second century AD by Emperor Trajan. It is carved into the mountain and its seats are built in a way to keep people away from the direct sunlight most of the day.
The castle (Al-Qalah) is located on top of a 900 by 400 meter flat hill, 132 meter of the level of the city centre. The castle is surrounded with a wall that is built on the Greek Architecture with 10 meter high Poles. South of the castle we can still see the ruins of Hercules temple. Also there is an Umayyed palace.
Many 5-star and 4-star hotels are conveniently situated throughout Amman, and lower-priced accommodation is also readily available. There is also a full range of restaurants, sports and leisure facilities.