The mouth of the Yarmuk (Jarmak) Gorge at its junction with the valley of Jordan

The Yarmuk shares a long and storied past with the Jordan river valley, as recounted in archaeological evidence, holy scripture and medieval chronicles. A Roman fortress town was built at the junction of the two rivers, and ruins of Roman and Byzantine-era synagogues have been found nearby. In the early seventh century, it was through the Yarmuk gorge that Arab armies invaded the Jordan valley. The Yarmuk's strategic importance has continued into the modern era. In the First World War the railway running through the valley was an important line of communication for the Turks. In October 1917, TE Lawrence (of Arabia) led a long-range attempt to blow up a main bridge there but was discovered during the attempt.