ammon

Ammon refers to an ancient Semitic-speaking kingdom and its people who inhabited the region east of the Jordan River in what is now northern Jordan. The heartland centered on Rabbah, also called Rabbath Ammon, the capital city identified with the later site of the modern city of Amman. The Ammonites rose as a distinct polity in the Iron Age and maintained periodic independence and periods of vassalage to larger powers.

Geography and neighbors: The Ammonite realm occupied territory between Moab to the south and the Kingdom of Israel to the west, with the Transjordan highlands providing its core. Their landscape contributed to a reputation for fortified cities and rocky settlements.

History and archaeology: The Ammonites are known from biblical sources and limited archaeological remains. They maintained trade and political interactions with neighboring states and frequently appear in conflict and alliance with Israel. The Ammonite religion centered on the god Milcom (also rendered Molech in some traditions) and practices documented in biblical texts reflect their cultic priorities.

Language and culture: The Ammonite language was a Canaanite dialect closely related to Hebrew and Moabite. Epigraphic evidence is sparse, but place names and inscriptions indicate shared cultural features with other Transjordanian peoples of the period.

Later periods: After the 6th century BCE, Ammonian political autonomy faded as the region came under successive empires, including the Neo-Babylonian, Achaemenid Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman states. The site of Rabbah and its surrounding region continued to be inhabited, with the area ultimately integrating into broader province or city networks.

Legacy: The name Ammon survives in biblical and historical references, and in modern times it is associated with the etymology of the city of Amman, Jordan. In contemporary usage, Ammon is also employed as a personal name in various cultures.