Gadara was a centre of Greek culture in the region during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
The name Gadara may have meant «fortifications» or «the fortified city». In 63 BCE, Roman general Pompey conquered the region, Gadara was rebuilt and became a member of the semi-autonomous Roman Decapolis. After King Herod's death in 4 BCE, Gadara became part of the Roman province of Syria.
After the Christianisation of the Eastern Roman Empire, Gadara retained its important regional status and became for many years the seat of a Christian bishop. The Battle of Yarmouk in 636 a short distance from Gadara, brought the entire region under Arab-Muslim rule. At Beit Rousan, now housing a visitor centre and museum, Greek statues and Christian mosaics discovered during archaeological excavations of ancient Gadara are exhibited. Since 2005, the Orient Department of the German Archaeological Institute under the direction of Claudia Bührig has been active at Gadara.
This project was completed in 2018, strengthening the largest remaining subterranean Roman aqueduct.
