Cities that shaped the ancient world / edited by John Julius Norwich.

Other author Norwich, John Julius, 1929-2018.
Format Electronic
Publication InfoNew York, New York : Thames & Hudson Inc., 2014.
Description240 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), color maps ; 26 cm
Supplemental ContentFull text available from Ebook Central - Academic Complete
Subjects
Cities and towns, Ancient.
Civilization, Ancient.

Contents Introduction : the birth of urban life -- The Near East. Uruk -- Ur -- Hattusa -- Troy -- Babylon -- Nineveh -- Persepolis -- Pergamum -- Jerusalem -- Petra -- Ephesus -- Palmyra -- Africa. Memphis -- Thebes -- Amarna -- Carthage -- Alexandria -- Meroë -- Leptis Magna -- Aksum -- Europe. Knossos -- Mycenae -- Athens -- Akragas -- Paestum -- Rome -- Pompeii -- Nîmes and The Pont du Gard -- Trier -- Asia. Mohenjo-Daro -- Inzi -- Xianyang -- Pataliputra -- Anuradhapura -- The Americas. Caral -- La Venta -- Monte Albán -- Teotihuacan -- Tikal -- Palenque.
Abstract Today 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.
General note"151 illustrations, 147 in color."
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references and index.
Access restrictionAvailable only to authorized users.
Technical detailsMode of access: World Wide Web
Genre/formElectronic books.
LCCN 2014930112
ISBN9780500252048 (hbk.)
ISBN0500252041 (hbk.)

Availability

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Electronic Resources Access Content Online ✔ Available