Cities of the Ancient World

Overview

From Uruk and Jericho to Athens and Rome, explore ancient urban landscapes and draw connections between the cities of centuries past and those of our modern world. We live in a time where the majority of the population resides in urban environments, making the study of ancient cities relevant to contemporary culture.

“Cities of the Ancient World” offers a survey of ancient urban development through 24 enlightening lectures by esteemed Professor Steven L. Tuck from Miami University. This course provides not only an overview of ancient urban design and architecture but also a glimpse into the daily lives of the people who inhabited these remarkable cities.

Course Structure

• The Lure of the City (30 min)
  • Explore why ancient humans transitioned from rural to urban living.

• Catalhoyuk-First Experiment in Urban Living (29 min)
  • Discover life in one of the first cities without streets or public buildings.

• Jericho and Its Walls (29 min)
  • Investigate the architectural and cultural significance of ancient Jericho.

• Uruk-City of Gilgamesh (29 min)
  • Examine Uruk’s innovations, labor divisions, and religious practices.

• Mysterious Mohenjo-daro (31 min)
  • Analyze archaeological findings from the enigmatic Indus Valley city.

• Kahun-Company Town in the Desert (32 min)
  • Understand the controlled urban environment for laborers in ancient Egypt.

• Work and Life at Deir el-Medina (30 min)
  • Meet skilled workers and explore their prosperous lives in new kingdoms.

• Amarna-Revolutionary Capital (28 min)
  • Study the city designed to centralize political and religious power.

• Knossos-Palace, City, or Temple? (28 min)
  • Tour the Minoan city known for its sophisticated urban design.

• Akrotiri-Bronze Age Pompeii (27 min)
  • Examine the preserved remains of a city devastated by a volcanic eruption.

• Mycenae, Tiryns, and the Mask of Agamemnon (32 min)
  • Investigate architectural and political systems in Bronze Age Greece.

• Athens-Civic Buildings and Civic Identity (30 min)
  • Explore Athens in the 5th century B.C. and its monumental structures.

• Athenian Domestic Architecture (33 min)
  • Transition to domestic life and the roles of everyday citizens.

14. Hippodamian Planning-Miletus and Ephesus (29 min)
    • Learn about urban design principles from the father of city planning.

• Olynthus-A Classical Greek City Preserved (28 min)
  • Tour well-preserved remnants of a classical city during the Peloponnesian War.

• Wonder and Diversity at Alexandria (30 min)
  • Discover the vibrant cosmopolitan nature of ancient Alexandria.

• Pergamon-The New Theatricality (30 min)
  • Analyze the dramatic urban designs and public monuments in Pergamon.

• The Good Life in Rome (29 min)
  • Walk through daily life in Rome from the perspective of a wealthy citizen.

• The Lives of the Poor in Rome (29 min)
  • Trace the challenges faced by lower-class citizens in ancient Rome.

• Ostia-Middle-Class Harbor Town (28 min)
  • Explore the economy and urban life in Ostia, a middle-class city.

• Timgad-More Roman Than Rome (29 min)
  • Visit an idealized Roman frontier city built by military veterans.

• Karanis-On the Fringes of the Empire (28 min)
  • Consider a diverse agricultural community at the edge of the empire.

• Constantinople-The Last Ancient City (29 min)
  • Conclude with the rise of Constantinople, linking antiquity to the Middle Ages.

• Lessons and Legacies of Ancient Urban Life (33 min)
  • Reflect on ancient cities’ enduring influences on modern urban design.