5 Ancient Cities That No Longer Exist

These bustling metropolises once stood as crowning jewels of their civilizations. Today, only ruins remain.

By Sara Novak
Dec 14, 2021 4:00 PMDec 14, 2021 3:58 PM
Persepolis
(Credit: MORTEZA YOUSEFI/Shutterstock)

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It seems implausible that an entire city could cease to exist. A sophisticated metropolis of art, architecture, kings, queens, food and farmland could thrive for centuries, and then suddenly, for sometimes mysterious reasons, be lost to the hands of time. But thanks to archeologists, losing a city completely (unless you’re Atlantis) is harder than ever before. And now researchers are often able to unlock the day-to-day magic that shaped some of the world’s most enlightened ancient cities.

Pompeii

(Credit: Romas_Photo/Shutterstock)
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