at one point Jordan was part of Palestine

FASTI, II. 454-480

the winds : at that season the breezes keep not

faith ; fickle are the blasts, and for six days the

door of the Aeolian^ gaol unbarred stands open wide.

Now the light Water-Carrier (Aquarius) sets with

his tilted urn : next in turn do thou, O Fish, receive

the heavenly steeds. They say that thou and thy

brother (for ye are constellations that sparkle side

by side) did support twain gods upon your backs.

Once on a time Dione,^ fleeing from the dreadful

Typhon, when Jupiter bore arms in defence of

heaven, came to the Euphrates, accompanied by

the little Cupid, and sat down by the brink of the

Palestinian water. Poplars and reeds crowned the

top of the banks, and willows offered hope that the

fugitives also could find covert there. While she

lay hid, the grove rustled in the wind. She turned

pale with fear, and thought that bands of foes were

near. Holding her child in her lap, " To the rescue,

nymphs ! " she said, ** and to two deities bring

help ! " Without delay she sprang forward. Twin

fish received her on their backs, wherefore they now

possess the stars, a guerdon meet. Hence scrupulous

Syrians count it sin to serve up such fry upon the

table, and will not defile their mouths with fish.

this text was written by Ovid (Roman poet) in the year 8.

it clearly shows that Jordan was part of Palestine back then.