Norwich John Julius. Cities That Shaped the Ancient World

Thames & Hudson, 2014. — 240 p.— ISBN 9780500252048, 0500252041An illuminating and evocatively illustrated tour of forty of the greatest cities that shaped the ancient world and its civilizations, from China and Mesoamerica to Europe and EthiopiaToday we take living in cities, with all their attractions and annoyances, for granted. But when did humans first come together to live in large groups, creating an urban landscape? What were these places like to inhabit? More than simply a history of ancient cities, this volume also reveals the art and architecture created by our ancestors, and provides a fascinating exploration of the origins of urbanism, politics, culture, and human interaction.Arranged geographically into five sections, Cities That Shaped the Ancient World takes a global view, beginning in the Near East with the earliest cities such as Ur and Babylon, Troy and Jerusalem. In Africa, the great cities of Ancient Egypt arose, such as Thebes and Amarna. Glorious European metropolises, including Athens and Rome, ringed the Mediterranean, but also stretched to Trier on the turbulent frontier of the Roman Empire. Asia had bustling commercial centers such as Mohenjodaro and Xianyang, while in the Americas the Mesoamerican and Peruvian cultures stamped their presence on the landscape, creating massive structures and extensive urban settlements in the deep jungles and high mountain ranges, including Caral and Teotihuacan.A team of expert historians and archaeologists with firsthand knowledge and deep appreciation of each site gives voices to these silent ruins, bringing them to life as the bustling state-of-the-art metropolises they once were.Introduction
The Birth of Urban Life. John Julius Norwich
The Near East
Uruk
The World’s First City. Margarete van Ess
Ur
Mesopotamian Centre of Power and Wealth. Marc Van de Mieroop
Hattusa
Stronghold of the Hittite Empire. Trevor Bryce
Troy
Myth and Reality. Bettany Hughes
Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar and the Hanging Gardens. Joan Oates
Nineveh
Palaces and Temples of the Assyrian Kings. Julian Reade
Persepolis
Heart of the Persian Empire. Marc Van de Mieroop
Pergamum
Hellenistic City of Culture. Stephen Mitchell
Jerusalem
City Founded on Faith. Martin Goodman
Petra
Architectural Wonder Built on Trade.Jane Taylor
Ephesus
Sanctuary and Temple of Artemis. Stephen Mitchell
Palmyra
Between Rome and Persia. Nigel Pollard
Africa
Memphis
The Balance of the Two Lands. Ian Shaw
Thebes
Heart of Egypt’s Golden Age. Bill Manley
Amarna
Short-Lived City of the Sun God. Barry Kemp
Carthage
Phoenician and Roman Cities. Henry Hurst
Alexandria
Greek Capital of Egypt. Alan B. Lloyd
Meroë
Royal City of Nubia. Robert Morkot
Leptis magna
Splendour and Beauty in North Africa. Nigel Pollard
Aksum
Ethiopian Royal Trading City. Matthew C. Curtis
Europe
Knossos
Palatial Centre of Minoan Crete. Colin F. Macdonald
Mycenae
Palaces and Tombs of Warrior Kings. Bettany Hughes
Athens
Birthplace of Democracy. Bettany Hughes
Akragas
City of Luxury and Excess. Tony Spawforth
Paestum
A Tale of Two Colonies. Nigel Pollard
Rome
Augustus’ City of Stone. Nigel Pollard
Pompeii
A Bustling Provincial City of the Roman Empire. Paul Roberts
Nîmes and the pont du gard
Masterpieces of Architecture and Technology. Simon Esmonde Cleary
Trier
From Provincial City to Imperial Residence. Simon Esmonde Cleary
Asia
Mohenjo-daro
Mysteries of the Indus Civilization. Robin Coningham
Linzi
Cities of Warring States China. W. J. F. Jenner
Xianyang
China’s First Imperial Capital. Frances Wood
Pataliputra
Centre of the Mauryan Empire. Robin Coningham
Anuradhapura
Island Capital and Pilgrimage Site. Robin Coningham
The Americas
Caral
Early Monumental Centre in Peru. Daniel H. Sandweiss
La venta
Regal and Ritual City of the Olmec. Richard A. Diehl
Monte Albán
At the Summit of the Sacred Mountain. Javier Urcid
Teotihuacan
Where Time and Water Flow. Susan Toby Evans
Tikal
Crucible of Maya Civilization. Simon Martin
Palenque
Royal Metropolis of the Maya Golden Age. George Stuart
Maps
Contributors
Further reading
Sources of quotations
Index