Roman Theatre (Amman)
#2of 9 places to visit in AmmanAmman, Amman Governorate, Jordan
Also known as Amman Roman Theater · Philadelphia Theatre · Al-Masrah al-Romani
Quick answer
Opening hours: 08:00–16:00. Entry: JOD 2 for foreign visitors. Allow 1 hr. Best time: Morning for the stage and museums.
Updated · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read
- Opening hours
- 08:00–16:00
- Daily, seasonal: 08:00-16:00 in winter, 08:00-17:30 April-May, 08:00-18:30 in summer. The encoded window is the shortest (winter) one. Some guides list a later summer closing. Shortened hours during Ramadan. The theatre also hosts evening events with separate ticketing and different access. Verify at the gate.
- Entry fee
- JOD 2
- For foreign visitors
- Time needed
- 1 hr
- Best time of day
- Morning for the stage and museums
- Best months
- Mar – May, Sep – Nov
- Address
- King Talal Street, Hashemite Plaza, Downtown Amman, Amman, Jordan (street-level postal code not published)
About Roman Theatre (Amman)
The Roman Theatre in Amman charges JOD 2 for foreign adults as of 2026 and seats about 6,000 people in 44 rows cut into the northern slope of Jabal al-Jofeh. The Roman Theatre faces north so the audience sat out of the sun, and the restoration that began in 1957 rebuilt sections of the seating. The Roman Theatre stands at the head of Hashemite Plaza in Downtown, so its stone steps, the Odeon and the Nymphaeum sit within a few minutes' walk of the souks. The same ticket covers the Jordan Folklore Museum and the Museum of Popular Traditions on the flanks of the stage, so the visit can stretch beyond the seating.
Best time of day: Morning for the stage and museums. Or the last hour before closing when the upper rows catch the afternoon sun over Downtown.
Roman Theatre (Amman) timings
Roman Theatre (Amman) opens at 08:00 and closes at 16:00. The weekend is no different: Saturday and Sunday follow the same times.
- Opening hours
- 08:00–16:00
Mon–Sun 08:00–16:00 - Daily, seasonal: 08:00-16:00 in winter, 08:00-17:30 April-May, 08:00-18:30 in summer. The encoded window is the shortest (winter) one. Some guides list a later summer closing. Shortened hours during Ramadan. The theatre also hosts evening events with separate ticketing and different access. Verify at the gate.
- Closed on
- Open every day
Good to know: Shortened hours during Ramadan; the theatre also hosts evening events with separate ticketing and different access.
Opening hours compiled from international.visitjordan.com and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Roman Theatre (Amman) ticket price
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard ticket (foreign visitors) | JOD 2 |
| Concession (student / senior) | JOD 2 |
| Children | JOD 2 |
The Roman Theatre is listed at JOD 2 for foreign adults on the Jordan Tourism Board fee table, as of 2026, and the ticket also covers the two small folklore museums beside the stage. The Roman Theatre is included in the Jordan Pass. No foreign-visitor concession was confirmed; Jordanian residents pay a much lower rate. Verify at the ticket window.
Prices compiled from international.visitjordan.com and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Best time to visit Roman Theatre (Amman)
- Quiet
- Moderate
- Busy
08:00 - 10:00
Early LightBest time to go
The Roman Theatre is nearly empty and the plaza is still setting up; the stage is easy to photograph without crowds.
Quiet10:00 - 13:00
Group Arrivals
Tour groups from the airport and Amman hotels arrive together, filling the lower rows and the museum entrances.
Busy13:00 - 16:00
Afternoon Lull
Summer heat pushes visitors into the shaded museums; families and local students use the upper rows.
Moderate16:00 - closing
Late Light and Downtown Crowds
Hashemite Plaza fills with locals in the evening and the upper tiers catch the last sun; closing is enforced promptly.
Busy
History of Roman Theatre (Amman)
The Roman Theatre was built in the reign of Antoninus Pius, in the second quarter of the 2nd century AD (dated to about 138-161), when Amman was the Decapolis city of Philadelphia. The auditorium was cut directly into the hillside and faced a Roman forum, measuring roughly 100 metres by 50 metres, of which columns and paving still survive in front of the stage. A smaller theatre, the Odeon, seating around 500 people, stands to the east, and the Nymphaeum, a monumental public fountain dated to AD 191, lies a short walk to the west. The complex was buried and built over for centuries as the modern city grew, and Jordanian restoration from 1957 rebuilt sections to make the theatre usable for concerts again.
Rules & etiquette at Roman Theatre (Amman)
The Roman Theatre is open-air and unshaded, with no formal dress code, though modest clothing is expected near Downtown's mosques and markets. Climbing on the seating is allowed, but the upper rows are steep, uneven and unrailed, so sandals with grip and slow steps matter. Drones are tightly restricted in Jordan, and tripods are tolerated when the site is quiet. Guides and photographers wait on the plaza and quote high prices to arriving tourists; agree the price first or skip them.
Music from the plaza and calls to prayer from Al-Husseini Mosque carry across the bowl, so allow a few minutes of quiet before shooting video.
Tips for visiting Roman Theatre (Amman)
- 1
The Roman Theatre is best done in an hour and combined with the Folklore Museum and Museum of Popular Traditions on the flanks of the stage, which are included in the ticket and are shaded, useful in July. Sit on the top rows and test the acoustics: a whisper from the orchestra carries to the upper tiers, a feature guides attribute to the Roman design.
- 2
The Roman Theatre is a five-minute walk from Hashem restaurant and the Downtown souks, so schedule the visit before lunch. Taxis wait at Hashemite Plaza, and Amman Citadel sits about 1.5 kilometres uphill; walk down after the Citadel rather than up. Carry small notes, since the ticket booth rarely breaks large denominations. Hashemite Plaza in front of the Roman Theatre also hosts public events, so check for closures before planning a photo stop there.
How to reach Roman Theatre (Amman)
The red star is Roman Theatre (Amman); the numbered pins are the 4 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.
King Talal Street, Hashemite Plaza, Downtown Amman, Amman, Jordan (street-level postal code not published)Directions in Google Maps
From Amman Citadel
1.5 km · 5-20 min
Free on foot, or roughly JOD 1.5-3 by taxi
From Rainbow Street (Jabal Amman)
3 km · 10-15 min
Roughly JOD 2-4 (metered taxi or app price)
From Queen Alia International Airport (AMM)
40 km · 60-80 min
JOD 3.3-3.4 by Airport Express (reported, as of 2026), plus a short taxi ride
Nearest airport
From Queen Alia International Airport (AMM)
about 35 km south of central Amman, 45-60 minutes by Airport Express bus or 40-50 minutes by taxi.
Nearest station
From Amman has no metro or passenger rail; the nearest public transport is the Ras Al-Ain BRT terminal and Downtown taxi ranks. Hashemite Plaza is at the foot of the theatre.
Roman Theatre (Amman) FAQs
How much does the Roman Theatre in Amman cost?
JOD 2 for foreign adults on the Jordan Tourism Board fee table, as of 2026, and free with the Jordan Pass. The ticket also covers the two folklore museums beside the stage.
How many people did the Roman Theatre in Amman hold?
About 6,000 spectators in 44 rows, carved into the hillside during the reign of Antoninus Pius in the 2nd century AD. The Odeon next door held around 500.
Is the Roman Theatre in Amman worth visiting with the Citadel?
Yes. The Roman Theatre and Amman Citadel are about 1.5 kilometres apart, both are in the Jordan Pass, and together they fill a half-day. Walk downhill from the Citadel to end at Hashemite Plaza.
What are the opening hours of the Roman Theatre in Amman?
Daily from 08:00, closing at 16:00 in winter, 17:30 in April and May, and 18:30 in summer, as of 2026. Ramadan hours are shorter; verify at the gate.
Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated . How we rank and check places
Places to visit near Roman Theatre (Amman)
Straight-line distances from our map; times are estimates.
