Situated around 7 km to the south of Petra, Wadi Sabra is one of Petra’s suburbs and was a major caravan station and settlement along the road leading to Gaza. The site is notable for its theater, water catchment system, and acropolis mount. The water catchment system demonstrates the ingenuity of the Nabataeans in harnessing and managing scarce water resources in the desert environment. The Nabataeans built watchtowers and checkpoints along the caravan route passing through Wadi Araba to protect and control it.

This caravan settlement lies along one of the Petra-Gaza trade routes and would have been a main stop for caravaneers, with its theater and acropolis serving as prominent landmarks. In addition to this primary station, there were also many caravanserais along the trade route, which provided accommodation for camel caravans. Examples include Bir Madhkour, Ain Rahel, Qasr al-Mahle, and Oboda. These caravanserais offered resting places, food, and water for travelers and their animals, contributing to the economic prosperity of the region. The presence of multiple stations along the trade route facilitated the flow of goods and cultural exchange between different regions. The Ain Rahel caravanserai, which measures 16x16 meters and was built using limestone blocks, had eight rooms surrounding a central courtyard.