Pella has been almost continuously occupied since Neolithic times.
Originally called Pihilum, the town was renamed "Pella" in the Hellenistic period after the birthplace of Alexander the Great, and with other like-minded towns in the region formed a political and cultural league known as the "Decapolis", an alliance that grew in stature and economic importance to became regionally influential under Roman jurisdiction .
However, Pella expanded to its largest size during the Byzantine period, when it was a bishopric in the province of Palaestina Secunda.
In Islamic times, after 635 CE, the town became part of the Jund al-Urdunn (Province of Jordan), but in time was negatively impacted by natural calamities and eclipsed by the geo-political successes of the nearby towns of Amman, Beisan and especially Tabariyah (Tiberias).
Pella has been almost continuously occupied since Neolithic times. Originally called Pihilum, the town was renamed "Pella" in the Hellenistic period after the birthplace of Alexander the Great, and with other like-minded towns in the region formed a political and cultural league known as the "Decapolis", an alliance that grew in stature and economic importance to became regionally influential under Roman jurisdiction . However, Pella expanded to its largest size during the Byzantine period, when it was a bishopric in the province of Palaestina Secunda. In Islamic times, after 635 CE, the town became part of the Jund al-Urdunn (Province of Jordan), but in time was negatively impacted by natural calamities and eclipsed by the geo-political successes of the nearby towns of Amman, Beisan and especially Tabariyah (Tiberias).
Pella, Jordan