The Great Classical Cities
by Daniel Nakazono
Persepolis
Description: Persepolis is an ancient Persian capital. Home to Achaemenian kings of the Achaemenian Dynasty of present day Iran.
Structures: At a quick glance, you will immediately notice a large terrace on it's east side. A retaining wall, surrounds the other three sides of the city. It varies in height form 13-41 feet due to the slope of the ground it is built on.Carved form the mountain are huge buildings of a dark grey color. The stones were cut in huge chunks from. Thirteen grand columns stand tall in the hall of Darius the Great.
Arrangement: It was a massive 125,000 square foot occupation. It was partly cut from a mountain, the "Mountain of Mercy" and built in Terraces. A broad stairway was constructed in front of the grand palace. The palace consisted of an 82 foot grand hall with four huge columns. The terrace structure was built for defense.
Traded goods: Shawls, sashes, turquoise, fruits, and vegetable.
Population: unavailable
Administration: Under the rule of King Darius the Great. The head of The Achaemenian government.
Cites:
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/452680/Persepolis>.
http://www.ancient.eu.com/persepolis/
http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/persianempir1/a/persiaintro_3.htm
Structures: At a quick glance, you will immediately notice a large terrace on it's east side. A retaining wall, surrounds the other three sides of the city. It varies in height form 13-41 feet due to the slope of the ground it is built on.Carved form the mountain are huge buildings of a dark grey color. The stones were cut in huge chunks from. Thirteen grand columns stand tall in the hall of Darius the Great.
Arrangement: It was a massive 125,000 square foot occupation. It was partly cut from a mountain, the "Mountain of Mercy" and built in Terraces. A broad stairway was constructed in front of the grand palace. The palace consisted of an 82 foot grand hall with four huge columns. The terrace structure was built for defense.
Traded goods: Shawls, sashes, turquoise, fruits, and vegetable.
Population: unavailable
Administration: Under the rule of King Darius the Great. The head of The Achaemenian government.
Cites:
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/452680/Persepolis>.
http://www.ancient.eu.com/persepolis/
http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/persianempir1/a/persiaintro_3.htm
Chang'an
Description: The Capitol city of china and the largest city in the world at the time. Containing one million people and 32 square miles of land. It was destroyed in 24 CE. It was looted and burned. This poem describes the desruction: "Street wards are deserted and desolate;
Town dwellings are sparsely scattered.
The buildings and offices, stations and bureaus,
Shops and markets, official storehouses,
Are now concentrated on a single corner of the wall--
Of a hundred, barely one survives...
Great bells have fallen in the ruined temple;
Bell frames have collapsed and suspend no more...
[Xiong, pp. 15-16]"
In the fourth century Chang'an once again became the capital of china. It became a center of buddhist teaching.
Structures: Because it is in orientation with the stars it is split into two symmetrical halves. The palace city is under the north star. Emperor Wu Di built many palaces as his legacy. The city was surrounded by four 12 meter high walls encompassing 32 square miles of land.
Arrangement: Arranged under the basis of the stars. The palace city was under the North star. The city was surrounded by walls that were surrounded by a moat.
Traded goods: richly colored silk products
Population: 1 million
Administration: Emperor Wu Di.
Cites:
http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/exhibit/tang/essay2.html
http://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/04/changan.html
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_travel/2003-09/24/content_36839.htm
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_travel/2003-09/24/content_36839.htm
Town dwellings are sparsely scattered.
The buildings and offices, stations and bureaus,
Shops and markets, official storehouses,
Are now concentrated on a single corner of the wall--
Of a hundred, barely one survives...
Great bells have fallen in the ruined temple;
Bell frames have collapsed and suspend no more...
[Xiong, pp. 15-16]"
In the fourth century Chang'an once again became the capital of china. It became a center of buddhist teaching.
Structures: Because it is in orientation with the stars it is split into two symmetrical halves. The palace city is under the north star. Emperor Wu Di built many palaces as his legacy. The city was surrounded by four 12 meter high walls encompassing 32 square miles of land.
Arrangement: Arranged under the basis of the stars. The palace city was under the North star. The city was surrounded by walls that were surrounded by a moat.
Traded goods: richly colored silk products
Population: 1 million
Administration: Emperor Wu Di.
Cites:
http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/exhibit/tang/essay2.html
http://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/04/changan.html
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_travel/2003-09/24/content_36839.htm
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_travel/2003-09/24/content_36839.htm
Pataliputra
Description: The capital city of the Mauryan Empire, and the largest city in the world at it's prime. Located in Northeaster India under the influence of the two rivers the Son and the Ganges.
Structures: A mile and a half wide, and nine mile long wooden wall surrounded Pataliputra. Within the city there were 470 towers and 900 foot wide moat. According to Megasthenes there were grand palaces there.
Administration: The industries such as trade and commerce, tax collection, foreign affairs, vital statistics, and public works, were administered by the city in boards of five men.
Cites:
http://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/02/pataliputra.html
Structures: A mile and a half wide, and nine mile long wooden wall surrounded Pataliputra. Within the city there were 470 towers and 900 foot wide moat. According to Megasthenes there were grand palaces there.
Administration: The industries such as trade and commerce, tax collection, foreign affairs, vital statistics, and public works, were administered by the city in boards of five men.
Cites:
http://earlyworldhistory.blogspot.com/2012/02/pataliputra.html
Athens
Description: The most powerful city in ancient greece, and a huge center of art and literature. Athens had the first idea of a democracy. The Agora was the heart and fire of the city, it is the marketplace and center of trade and business within the city. Because it was considered that all men must take part in politics in some way, or they would be considered useless, many thousands of people packed into the lawcourts to watch and take part of the jury.
Structures: Many large structures such as temples for for their gods. The Hephaisteion is such a temple built for Athena and Hephestus.
Traded goods: Olive oil
Population: 100,000
Administration: Democracy.
Cites:
http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/athens/explore/exp_set.html
Structures: Many large structures such as temples for for their gods. The Hephaisteion is such a temple built for Athena and Hephestus.
Traded goods: Olive oil
Population: 100,000
Administration: Democracy.
Cites:
http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/athens/explore/exp_set.html
Carthage
Description: Carthage is a great Phoenician city it was founded in the ninth century BC within the Gulf of Tunis which ended up being an ideal place for such a city to develop. Carthage was strategically placed city on a peninsula with natural defenses yet ideal for trade and fishing. Due to it's location and it's supply of slaves, Carthage became a great empire of commerce. Became a place where those seeking knowledge and the study of knowledge and advancements. With it's trade of slaves to the tropics of Africa for Ivory and Gold, the city became incredibly rich.
Structures: many large columns, and temples
Traded goods: textiles, slaves
Population: 700,000
Cites:
http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/carthage.html
Structures: many large columns, and temples
Traded goods: textiles, slaves
Population: 700,000
Cites:
http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/carthage.html
Rome
Description: The Roman Emperor, Augustus, said “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.” This quote not only describes the improvements of Rome physically but also in law. Rome's law system became a model for law throughout Europe. Buildings in Rome designed for the tenanting of people, were as tall as 8-9 stories, and they built roads that were paved that are so efficiently built that they are still in use to this day. The Romans built many Aqueducts to supply the city with water for it's vast population.
Structures: The Roman's were the first to invent and incorporate the arch into a building structure. Their arches were so sturdy that entire buildings could be built upon them. Adding on to the arch they contributed and incorporated the vault into many of their structures. The vault is a series of four arches arranged into a square in which two halls are created. Another architectural design incorporated in much of Roman buildings is the Dome.
Traded goods: Agricultural, including spices such as pepper, nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts, and fruits such as peaches and apricots.
Population: 1.25 Million (1,250,000)
Administration: Emperor. Rome had an extraordinary legal system, incorporating the use of common sense to solve private cases.
Cites:http://www.slideshare.net/PaulVMcDowell/classical-rome-presentation-747984
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/arts/international/roman-classical-style-through-the-many-faces-of-augustus.html
Structures: The Roman's were the first to invent and incorporate the arch into a building structure. Their arches were so sturdy that entire buildings could be built upon them. Adding on to the arch they contributed and incorporated the vault into many of their structures. The vault is a series of four arches arranged into a square in which two halls are created. Another architectural design incorporated in much of Roman buildings is the Dome.
Traded goods: Agricultural, including spices such as pepper, nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts, and fruits such as peaches and apricots.
Population: 1.25 Million (1,250,000)
Administration: Emperor. Rome had an extraordinary legal system, incorporating the use of common sense to solve private cases.
Cites:http://www.slideshare.net/PaulVMcDowell/classical-rome-presentation-747984
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/arts/international/roman-classical-style-through-the-many-faces-of-augustus.html