Madaba is located in central Jordan, 30 kilometres south-west of the capital Amman. it dates from the Middle Bronze Age. During its rule by the Roman Emperor Trajan the city formed part of the Provincia Arabia set up to replace the Nabataean kingdom of Petra.
During the Byzantine-Umayyad period saw the building of the Church of the Map, the Hippolytus Mansion, the Church of the Virgin Mary, the Church of Prophet Elijah with its crypt, the Church of the Holy Martyrs (Al-Khadir), the Burnt Palace, the Church of the Sunna' family, and the church of the salaita family.
One of the best attractions in madaba is Madaba map which preserved in the floor of the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George. The Map of Madaba mosaic was discovered in 1896 and the findings were published a year later. Madaba became known as the "City of Mosaics" in Jordan.
A new discovery in 2010, a 3,000-year-old Iron Age temple containing several figurines of ancient deities and circular clay vessels used in Moabite religious rituals was discovered at Khirbat 'Ataroz near Mabada.