Lost Cities of the Ancient World

A fascinating tour of cities that have been lost to history, from the Neolithic period up to the late Roman Empire, offering a fresh new perspective on the roots of urban life. The ruins of ancient Athens, Luxor and Rome are familiar cornerstones of world history, visited by travellers from across the globe. But what about the cities that have dropped off the map – that have been submerged under water, or swallowed up by the sands of time? Where are they, and what can they tell us about our past? From the sunken city of Thonis off the coast of Egypt to the deep cave dwellings of Derinkuyu in Turkey, Philip Matyszak brings to life cities and sites from across Europe, the Middle East and beyond and spanning 4,000 years of human history. Combining the latest archaeological discoveries with the testimony of ancient writers, Matyszak reconstructs these forgotten cities and the worlds they once inhabited. He explores a dynamic network of peoples and cultures who fought and traded between themselves, exchanging inventions, ideas and philosophies, revealing how people have embarked on the shared endeavour of living together since we first settled down 12,000 years ago.