A short history of Petra: the rose-red city

Petra’s location was no accident. Nestled between dramatic sandstone mountains and reachable primarily through the narrow, winding gorge known as The Siq, it offered natural fortification.

But the Nabataeans chose it for economic reasons as much as defensive ones.

Petra sat beside the Incense Route, a network of ancient trade paths stretching from southern Arabia to the Mediterranean.

Control of this corridor meant control of profits, and Petra thrived as caravans laden with incense, spices and luxury goods flowed through the region. 

The landscape also provided something essential for any settled civilisation: fresh water. Runoff from the surrounding hills, once captured and stored, could support a substantial population.

With ingenuity and investment, the Nabataeans turned Petra into an oasis city.

In 106 CE, during the reign of Emperor Trajan, the Roman Empire annexed the Nabataean Kingdom, incorporating it as the province of Arabia Petraea.

The transition was relatively peaceful, and Petra continued to prosper under Roman rule.

Romans constructed new roads, including the Via Nova Traiana, and strengthened Petra’s role as a regional trading hub.

Many of the city’s surviving architectural features, such as the Theatre, were expanded or remodelled during this time.

However, as trade patterns gradually shifted toward sea routes, Petra’s influence began to wane.