The ruins of ancient Athens, Luxor, and Rome are familiar cornerstones of world history, visited by travelers from across the globe. But what about the cities that have dropped off the map? Where are they, and what can they tell us about our past?

In this compendium of forgotten cities, Philip Matyszak explores the trials, tribulations, and triumphs these cities faced. Lost Cities of the Ancient World brings to life the sites and settlements across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond that time forgot, from the sunken city of Pavlopetri in the Mediterranean to the deep cave dwellings of Derinkuyu in Turkey. Four thousand years of human history are covered in this volume, offering unique insights into forgotten cities and ways of life.

Matyszak reveals a dynamic network of peoples and cultures who fought and traded between themselves, exchanging inventions, ideas, and philosophies, with the result that people as far apart as Catalhöyükin Turkey and Skara Brae in Scotland's Orkney Islands shared a common heritage. By examining the motivations that first drew populations to gather and settle together, as well as the challenges that led to their cities' abandonment, this striking and often surprising book offers us a fresh perspective on our urban origins.