We saw the ruins of Jerash after a night without sleep, camping in a terraced olive grove in the country side. Jerash is another Greek-Roman ruin, with splendid colonnaded piazzas and graceful paved avenues.
Temples to long-forgotten gods, and even a synagogue - the only ruined building not maintained, cleaned and sign-posted.
In fact, the ancient city of Jerash is yet another pearl in a necklace called the Decapole, ten cities which were the most important centres of the Roman Empire in the Middle East.
We have visited Ephes, Petra, and now Jerash.
All of this to say that in many ways, the Romans are still alive and among us today, for how many other ancient civilisations have left such an indelible mark upon this sun bleached landscape?
On these robust stones, men carried out their affairs; women bought cloth and perfume, priests burned incense and rabbis read from Torah scrolls.
It takes a major flight of the imagination to imagine the place inhabited and bustling, to imagine the wells full of water and the vats full of grapes; the main squares full of patricians and intrigue; to imagine the early Christians investing the pagan temples.
Today the marketplaces are full only of camera carrying tourists. There are no longer any ancient wares for sale, only carpets and junk.
Our eternal thanks to King Solomon for reminding us of what was there all along, for reminding us of the only thing which remains: Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.