Introducation of Irbid

Irbid , anciently known as Arabella, is Jordan’s 2nd largest city located about 85 km north of Amman, situated at an equal distance from Pella and Umm Qais. The city has the nearby all-seasons snow-tipped mountain of Jabal El-Sheikh. The city has a bustling community, and contains most of Jordan’s universities including the Yarmouk University and Jordan University of Science and Technology.

Before Islam, Irbid was famous for some of the best wines in the ancient world. Made from rich transparent and honey-toned, green, red, or black grapes. Nourished by extremely fertile deep-brown soil, growing under beautiful horizons, dominated by an assuring presence of Jabal El-Shiekh, the all seasons snow tipped mountain of the Middle East. Warmed by the pleasant sun of a lovely mediterranean moderate climate.

After Islam Arabella became known as Irbid, and continued with the wheat but took to great olive oil instead of wines. However, Irbid has her claim to Islamic fame and glory, In her rich long history, written with blood and sacrifice. Irbid takes a fare share in thrilling epics of longing heroes, and memory dwelling laments of poets.

No worthy historian managed to leave Irbid - the ancient Arabella of the Aramics’ - unmentioned, because of the Yarmouk battle, a decisive heroic battle that took place across the banks of the Yarmouk river some 30 kilometers to the north of Irbid.

Yarmouk battle, was between the new young power, Islam, against the ancient world dominating superpower, Rome. It is a landmark of the history of both, Rome and Islam, and a landmark in the history of Irbid, as well.

The outcome of Yarmouk battle changed the course of history. A small Muslim Arab army, brave with young faith, defeated the huge Roman army, hundreds of times the man and fire power, but far much less in moral values. From there, Roman empire went down into the dark ages, and Islam began its legendary spread-out.

Thousands of years of history are evident in the fertile soil of Irbid, so deep in her sacrificial tones, that some citizens of Irbid believe it is the blood of martyrs that gives their soil its deep brown and scarlet mix of colors.