First published 2014
Humans began gathering in large settlements thousands of years ago, creating the first urban landscapes across the globe. This exploration examines forty cities that defined ancient civilization, from the earliest Near Eastern centers like Ur and Babylon to the monumental structures of Troy and Jerusalem. The journey moves through Africa's Egyptian metropolises including Thebes and Amarna, then to Europe's Mediterranean powers like Athens and Rome, extending north to frontier cities such as Trier. Asian commercial hubs like Mohenjodaro and Xianyang demonstrate eastern urbanism, while American civilizations left their mark through Caral and Teotihuacan in jungles and mountains. Expert historians and archaeologists reconstruct these silent ruins as the bustling centers they once were. The book reveals how our ancestors developed art, architecture, politics, and culture within urban settings. Readers discover what daily life meant in these ancient places and how human interaction shaped early civilization through the rise of cities.
Genres: history, archaeology, ancient-history, architecture
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: non-fiction
Setting: Amarna, Babylon, Caral, Egypt, Europe, Jerusalem, Mediterranean, Mohenjodaro, Near East, Rome, Teotihuacan, Thebes, Troy, Trier, Ur, Xianyang
Period: Ancient
240 pages · Hardcover · Thames & Hudson