Editing Petra (section)

=== Roman period ===
[[file:View of Petra.jpg|thumb|General view]]
[[file:Roman bronze coin of Geta showing the Petra temple.jpg|thumb|Roman bronze coin of Geta showing the Petra temple with statue of Tyche]]
{{further|History of the Romans in Arabia}}

In AD 106, when [[Aulus Cornelius Palma Frontonianus|Cornelius Palma]] was governor of [[Roman Syria|Syria]], the part of [[Arabian Peninsula|Arabia]] under the rule of Petra was absorbed into the [[Roman Empire]] as part of [[Arabia Petraea]], and Petra became its capital.<ref>Dio Cassius, LXVII. 14, 5.</ref> The native dynasty came to an end but the city continued to flourish under Roman rule. It was around this time that the Petra Roman Road was built. A century later, in the time of [[Alexander Severus]], when the city was at the height of its splendor, the issue of coinage came to an end. There was no more building of sumptuous tombs, owing apparently to some sudden catastrophe, such as an invasion by the neo-[[Iran|Persian]] power under the [[Sassanid Empire]].<ref name= EB1911/>

Meanwhile, as [[Palmyra]] ([[floruit|fl.]] 130–270) grew in importance and attracted the Arabian trade away from Petra, the latter declined. It appears, however, to have lingered on as a religious center. Another Roman road was constructed at the site. [[Epiphanius of Salamis]] (c.315–403) writes that in his time a feast was held there on December 25 in honor of the virgin [[Khaabou]] (Chaabou) and her offspring [[Dushara]].<ref name= EB1911/> Dushara and al-Uzza were two of the main deities of the city, which otherwise included many idols from other Nabataean deities such as Allat and Manat.<ref>{{cite book| title= The Religious Life of Nabataea| chapter= Chapter 2| year= 2013| first= Peter| last= Alpass}}</ref>

Between 111 and 114 [[Trajan]] built the [[Via Traiana Nova]], running from the Syrian border to the Red Sea through Petra. This road followed the old routes of Nabataean caravans. In the shadow of the ''[[Pax Romana]]'', this route revived trade between Arabia, Syria, and Mediterranean harbors. In 125 AD, one of Emperor [[Hadrian]]'s administrators left marks{{dubious|Meaning what?|date=December 2019}} in Petra, pointed out by documents found at the [[Dead Sea]]. In 130 AD, Hadrian visited the former Nabataean capital, giving it the name of ''Hadriānī Petra Metropolis'', imprinted on his coins. His visit, however, did not lead to any boom in development and new buildings as it did in [[Jerash]]. The province's governor, Sextius Florentinus, erected a monumental [[mausoleum]] for his son near the end of the al-Hubta (King's Wall) tombs, which had been generally reserved during the Nabataean period for the royal family.

The interest that Roman emperors showed in the city in the 3rd century suggests that Petra and its environs remained highly esteemed for a long time. An inscription to [[Liber Pater]], a god revered by Emperor [[Septimius Severus]], was found in the ''[[temenos]]'' of the temple known as [[Qasr al-Bint]], and Nabataean tombs contained silver coins with the emperor's portrait, as well as pottery from his reign. Emperor [[Elagabalus]] declared Petra to be a [[Colonia (Roman)|Roman colony]], when he reorganized the Roman Empire towards the end of the 3rd century.<ref>{{cite web| website= jordantourspetra.com| url= http://www.jordantourspetra.com/en/petra-jordan.html| title= Petra Jordan| date= 21 June 2019| access-date= 2019-11-22| archive-date= 2019-12-08| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191208154128/https://www.jordantourspetra.com/en/petra-jordan.html| url-status= live}}</ref> The area from Petra to [[Wadi Mujib]], the [[Negev]], and the [[Sinai Peninsula]] were annexed into the province of [[Palaestina Salutaris]]. Petra may be seen on the [[Madaba Map|Madaba mosaic map]] from the reign of Emperor [[Justinian]].