1. AP World Review: Video #15: Imperial Cities (Key Concept 2.2, III, A)
Everything You Need To Know About Imperial Cities To Succeed In AP World

2. Imperial Cities Why were these cities significant? Centers of trade
Religious rituals
Administration centers
Often had defensive walls

3. Persepolis Capital of the Achaemenid Empire
1st Persian Empire ( B.C.E.)
Built during Darius’ reign
Reception halls, treasury, and royal residences
Xerxes’ palace was located here
City was looted by Alexander the Great’s forces in 330 B.C.E.

4. Chang’an Capital to more than ten dynasties in China
Qin Shihuangdi held his imperial court here
During the Han Dynasty, the city was the cultural and political center of China
Palace, markets, and parks
Roughly 250,000 people by 2 C.E.
City was surrounded by a defensive wall

5. Pataliputra
Located in India, capital during the Mauryan and Gupta Dynasties
Under Ashoka, it was one of the largest cities in the world
Almost 400,000 people at its height
Developed government policies for the empire
Treasury - oversaw tax system

6. Athens One of the most significant city- states of Ancient Greece
Political and intellectual contributions
Direct democracy where all citizens could vote
Parthenon - temple dedicated to Athena
Protective city walls

7. Carthage
Originally a Phoenician colony, it was a significant city on the Mediterranean
Destroyed by the Romans in the Punic Wars
Rebuilt as Roman Carthage in 3rd century C.E.
One of the largest cities in the Roman Empire
Center for Christianity
Conquered by the Vandals in 439 C.E.

8. Rome
509 B.C.E. Roman aristocrats overthrew their king, established a republic
City is located near Tiber River and Tyrrhenian Sea
Near the Mediterranean Sea - trade/contact with other cultures
Colosseum - could hold around 50,000 people
Dramas, contests, re- enactments

9. Alexandria Founded by Alexander The Great in 332 B.C.E.
Hellenistic culture in Egypt
Cultural and intellectual center - Jewish, Greek, and Syrian scholars
Alexandria Library - over 700,000 works
Burned and many works were destroyed

10. Constantinople Founded by Roman Emperor Constantine
Government moved to Constantinople after 330 C.E.
Libraries, museums, palaces, churches, and baths were found in the city
1,000s of mansions, 14 palaces
Hippodrome:
Stadium where one could watch horse races, athletic games, circuses, etc.

11. Teotihuacan Located in Mesoamerica
Around 200,000 people between C.E.
Priests were believed to play a significant role in the society
Kept calendars, helped determine when to plant crops
Most residents (2/3) worked in the fields outside the city
Trade with other regions
City did NOT have defensive walls

12. Quick Recap Common characteristics among most of the cities:
Located near water
TRADE
Defensive walls (Not Teotihuacan)
Administration centers

13. See You Back Here For Video #16: Patriarchy And Labor In Societies
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