Petra

Petra, a now ruined city, once capital of Arabia Pettsea, is situate in a narrow river valley surrounded by hills, 110 miles N. of Jerusalem. In the Bible it is spoken of as Selah a.nd Joktheel, and is also mentioned by Strabo, Pliny, and other writers, including Josephus, and must therefore have been of considerable importance. Among the most important remains are rock temples, a ruined palace 34 yards square, with colonnades, cornice, and an arch 35 feet high leading into one of three large rooms, a theatre capable of holding 4,000 people, and a treasure-house.