Petra

Petra, a place in the South Jordan Country, which is the area Edom, located between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. In Greek, "Petra" means the city of stone. In the Old Testament as the place is called Sela: "He defeated Edom in the Valley Asin, the number of ten thousand people, and seize Sela in battle, the city dinamainyalah ago Yokteel; so to this day" (2 King 14:7). This area became the capital of the defense and the Nabatean kingdom since 4 th century BC until the tenth century to 2 M. All heritage buildings and tombs in this place be chiselled on Bukit Batu Tebing reddish color. That is why this place is also known as "The Red Rose City". Romans conquered the kingdom of this place in the year 106, and M be one of the Roman province. The city is growing in its own century and 2 to 3 M, to their city rivals, Palmyra took over most of the activities of trade Petra, that the city is also decreased activity perdagangannya. On the 7 th century to this place by ditaklukkan Muslim, and in the century to 12 by ditaklukkan also Combatants Cross. And at the end of this course are only the ruins.

Petra ancient sites found again by a Swiss explorer named Johann Burckhardt in 1812. Fortresses a strong, very striking beauty and is situated on the cliffs, the narrow canyon, and higher, and at some distance between the 1 edge of cliffs with only 3.7 meters. And on the walls be chiselled cliffs this is the naturally beautiful buildings such as: Khaznet Firaoun, Treasury Petra beautiful, theater performance that can accommodate 3,000 spectators and other buildings. All the building be chiselled in stone hill reddish color. Petra shows the residual in the prosperity and glory of this place was.

The original Petra, the Nabatean (Arabic = Al-Anbaat), is the traders from the area south of Jordan, Canaan and the northern Arabian peninsula in ancient period. Actual origin of the Nabatean not too clear. Some of the opinion that the existence of the people in the Nabatean Petra (Sela), which was the capital of the Kingdom of Edom is because of migration to the Edom area JUDEA empty (due to the Jews at that time that JUDEA removed to Babilonia by King Nebuchadnezzar), so that people take their own Nabatean city of Petra, and begin to live and develop the kingdom in this place.

People Nabatean goddess worship of the god before the Arab Muslim, and they also worship their kings are already dead. Dushara the main deity is for them and their goddess Uzza, Allat and Manah. Many statues be chiselled on the walls of this place to describe their deity goddess. One of the king who, at most, a didewakan is Obodas I (a didewakan after his death). The most famous building in Petra (Treasury of Petra), which was built in the early centuries BC I dedicated this to the king.

500 years after the city of Petra dibangunnya as a trade city, the century to around 4 BC, the Christian Bizantium also come to Petra. Athanasius Court (First Church of the Father) said in one of his writings that the Bishop of Petra was named Asterius. Even found evidence that one of the former cemetery at this place as the Church.

Christianity in the Petra lost since the coming of Islam to this place in the years 629-632. The War combatants Cross also conquered this place, under the leadership of King Baldwin I of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.