Kids Projects Ancient Cities and Ancient Ruins

Ancient cities were smaller than most modern cities. They were centers where local rulers lived and where people came from the countryside to sell or trade goods. Although many ancient cities have completely disappeared over time, the remains of some still exist. From them, we have learned a great deal about how people once lived.

Buried City

Pompeii was prosperous city in Italy until the volcano Vesuvius erupted on August 24, A.D. 79. About 2,000 of its 20,000 people died. The ruins were preserved in volcanic ash. When archeologist dug them up, the remains provided much information about life in the city.

Planned City

Chang’an (xi’an) was the imperial capital of China from 202 B.C. to A.D. 8, during the Han dynasty. Archeologists working on the site unearthed original plans of the layout of Chang’an as well as many ruins. The city was once surrounded by a wall.

Temple To A Goddess

Built from 447 to 432 B.C., the Parthenon, a temple to the Greek goddess Athene, stands on the hill of the Acropolis, Athens Greece. The sculptor Phidias made a large gold and ivory statue of Athene, which was placed inside the temple. Over the centuries, the temple was used as both a Christian church and a Muslim mosque.

AMAZING FACTS

• The pyramid of the Sun took 3,000 workers 30 years to build.

• Pompeii was covered with volcanic ash up to 7 m deep.

Birthplace Of The Sun

By about A.D.500, Teotihuacán was the largest city in Mexico, with a population of about 200,000. The Pyramid of the Sun was one of the city’s largest buildings. It was a temple thought to be the birthplace of the Sun. Pyramid is terraced and rises over 60 m above the city.