The notion of the lost city is steeped in mystery, and the uncertainty that surrounds the disappearance of a civilisation that once thrived. Ancient History’s Lost Cities examines why certain cities became abandoned, and how they were rediscovered years later.
Ancient History’s LOST CITIES
WORLD MAP
LEGEND, LORE AND LOST CITIES • Among the most tantalising mysteries of antiquity, the stories of lost cities, rediscovered and undiscovered, convey a curious aura of fact and myth
How cities become lost • Both external and internal circumstances have caused cities to be destroyed or abandoned through the centuries
How cities are rediscovered • Tantalising clues, the promise of wealth, the desire to learn and simple good fortune drive the rediscovery of lost cities
Camelot found? • A retired English professor believes he may have solved the ancient riddle of the location of King Arthur’s legendary city
TROY • This once seemingly mythical city was the centre of the Ancient Greek world and the setting for some of the most celebrated works in classical literature
Three theories Troy was settled
BABYLON • Now lost to the sands of time, Babylon was once the largest and most awe-inspiring city in the world, but how did this Mesopotamian metropolis fall from such glory?
TOUR OF BABYLON
Alexander’s Great metropolis
Did the Hanging Gardens exist?
What did Babylon ever do for us?
TAXILA • A centre of commerce and higher learning steeped in Hindu and Buddhist lore, Taxila flourished for more than 1,000 years
Discovery and preservation at Taxila
CARTHAGE • In its glory Carthage, founded as a Phoenician colony, was a significant trade centre in the Mediterranean basin and a rival of the Roman Empire
Surveying historical Carthage • How ancient Carthage rose to preeminence in the Mediterranean
How to build a great city
A COASTAL COLOSSUS
POMPEII • The city that once stood as a bastion of Roman life and culture was savaged by one of the most apocalyptic natural disasters ever witnessed on Earth. This is the story of its dramatic destruction
COUNTDOWN TO ARMAGEDDON • For more than 24 hours Vesuvius brought the apocalypse to Pompeii, engulfing the city in flame, ash and lightning
INSIDE POMPEII • Discover the key sites of this famous city, both for the Roman people that once inhabited it and the archaeologists today exploring its remains
Discovering Pompeii • Do we know everything there is to know about Pompeii?
Pompeii’s greatest finds • Archaeologists have recovered a number of spectacular and revealing objects that speak volumes about what life was once like in Roman Pompeii
PERSEPOLIS • Once the capital of the Achaemenid Empire, the ruins of this magnificent city lie at the foot of the Mountain of Mercy in Iran
Unearthing Persepolis • An expert scholar of the Islamic world answers some questions on Persepolis
HOTSPOTS OF PERSEPOLIS
Stunning artworks from Persepolis
PETRA • Forged out of the cliffs, Petra is a rock-cut marvel that stands as testament to the architectural and engineering skills of its Nabataean creators
BUILDING AL-KHAZNEH • Despite its moniker, Al-Khazneh (meaning ‘Treasury’) had nothing to do with storing Nabataean riches. Archaeological work in the mid-2000s concluded the building served as a funerary temple. The Treasury’s name stems from a wonderful local myth that the building was built by the Egyptian pharaoh as he chased Moses and the Israelites through the land of Edom, and the façade’s urn encased his treasure.
The wonders of Petra
PALENQUE • This ancient city, once lost to the jungle, contains some of the finest art and architecture...