The term ancient times generally refers to the period before the Middle Ages, spanning from the rise of the first civilizations around 3000 BCE to roughly 500 CE. It was an era defined by towering empires, complex societies, and monumental achievements in art, architecture, and governance. An ancient city is one that was built in this time and played a significant role in history, whether as a capital, a religious hub, or a trade center. Many were abandoned due to wars, natural disasters, or changing economies, leaving behind the ruins we see today.
But some ancient cities never fully disappeared. Instead, they endured, buried under sand, hidden in jungles, or repurposed by later civilizations. Today, thanks to archaeological work and historical preservation, it’s possible to walk through these cities and see their streets, temples, and fortifications much as they stood thousands of years ago. The following ancient ten cities, though lesser known, offer a rare opportunity to step directly into the past and experience history firsthand.
1. Merv, Turkmenistan – c. 6th Century BCE
Nestled in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert, Merv stands as a testament to over 4,000 years of human history. Once a vibrant hub on the Silk Road, it flourished under various empires, notably reaching its zenith in the 12th century as the Seljuk Empire’s capital.
Today, the State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv” preserves its rich legacy. Visitors can explore the Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum, an architectural marvel commemorating the revered Seljuk ruler.
The Great Kyz Kala, with its distinctive corrugated walls, offers insight into the region’s unique construction techniques. Additionally, the ancient fortresses of Erk Kala and Gyaur Kala provide glimpses into Merv’s strategic significance through the ages.
2. Hattusa, Turkey – c. 1600 BCE
Hattusa, the ancient capital of the Hittite Empire, was established around 1600 BCE in what is now central Turkey. Once a major power in the Bronze Age, the city controlled vast territories and rivaled Egypt in diplomacy, warfare, and culture. It was a hub of administration, trade, and religious activity until its decline around 1200 BCE.
You can explore its fortified walls, which once enclosed an advanced urban center. The Lion Gate, with its still-standing stone sculptures, marks the entrance to what was once a thriving metropolis. The Great Temple, a central site of Hittite worship, provides insight into the empire’s religious traditions.
Just outside the main city, Yazılıkaya, an open-air rock sanctuary, displays intricate carvings of Hittite gods, offering a rare glimpse into their mythology.
Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hattusa is an important archaeological site that sheds light on a long-lost civilization.
3. Ani, Turkey – c. 5th Century CE
Ani, once a flourishing medieval capital, now lies in quiet isolation along Turkey’s border with Armenia. Founded in the 5th century CE, it grew into a formidable city under the Bagratid Armenian kings, reaching its peak in the 10th and 11th centuries.
At its height, Ani was a center of trade and culture, rivaling Constantinople and Cairo with its wealth and architectural marvels. Today, the echoes of its past remain in the skeletal remains of its churches, walls, and streets.
What makes Ani remarkable is its extensive collection of medieval Armenian architecture, preserved despite centuries of abandonment. The Cathedral of Ani, designed by the famed architect Trdat, still stands with its massive dome partially intact.
Nearby, the Church of the Redeemer, split in half by time and erosion, remains a haunting sight. The city walls, once an imposing defense against invaders, stretch along the landscape, giving visitors a sense of the grandeur that once defined Ani.
4. Thanjavur, India – c. 4th Century CE
Thanjavur, one of the most historic cities in India, is not a forgotten ruin or a relic of a lost civilization. It is a city that has carried its legacy forward for over 1,600 years. Established in the 4th century CE, it became the beating heart of Tamil culture under the Chola dynasty, which ruled much of South India. Unlike other ancient cities frozen in time, Thanjavur remains vibrant, blending its deep historical roots with the rhythms of modern life.
At its core stands the Brihadeeswarar Temple, a masterpiece of Chola architecture commissioned by Rajaraja I in the 11th century. Towering over the city, its 66-meter vimana (tower) is crowned by a massive granite capstone, a feat of engineering that continues to puzzle historians. Inside, elaborate frescoes and inscriptions narrate centuries of devotion and power.
Beyond the temple, Thanjavur’s Royal Palace Complex houses a vast collection of artifacts, including ancient scripts and statues, offering a window into its regal past.
But Thanjavur is more than its monuments. It is the birthplace of the Tanjore painting tradition, home to skilled artisans crafting veena instruments, and a hub for Carnatic music. It is an ancient city that is still alive, where history is not just preserved but lived.
5. Byblos, Lebanon – c. 5000 BCE
Byblos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Founded around 5000 BCE, it has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, from the Phoenicians to the Romans and beyond.
This was the city that gave the world the alphabet. The Phoenicians developed early writing systems here that influenced Greek and Latin scripts.
Strolling through the Byblos Archaeological Site, you’ll see remnants of civilizations stacked upon one another: Neolithic dwellings, Phoenician temples, a Roman amphitheater, and a Crusader-era castle that still stands watch over the Mediterranean.
The harbor, once filled with Phoenician ships laden with cedar wood, is now lined with cafés and fishing boats, offering a rare chance to experience history in motion.
Byblos’ souks hum with life, its ancient stones whisper forgotten stories, and its seafront sunsets cast the same golden glow that traders and kings once admired.
6. Nisa, Turkmenistan – c. 3rd Century BCE
Nisa doesn’t have the grand fame of Rome or Athens, but what it lacks in renown, it makes up for in significance. Founded in the 3rd century BCE, it was the first capital of the Parthian Empire, a civilization that rivaled the might of the Romans.
Tucked away in present-day Turkmenistan, Nisa was once a royal stronghold, a place of lavish palaces, towering temples, and vast wine cellars storing the empire’s finest.
Unlike many ancient cities that sprawled outward, Nisa was built as a fortress. The mudbrick walls, thick and imposing, still stand in defiance of time. Within them, archaeologists have uncovered priceless ivory rhytons: elaborate drinking vessels adorned with Greek-inspired motifs, proving that Nisa was not just a military center but also a melting pot of cultures.
The city’s fire temples, once blazing with eternal flames, hint at the deep spiritual traditions of the Parthians.
Today, Nisa is quiet, its ruins softened by the desert winds. But for those who make the journey, it is a rare chance to step into the shadows of a forgotten empire, one that once shaped the balance of power in the ancient world.
7. Aizanoi, Turkey – c. 3rd Century BCE
If Aizanoi were anywhere else, it would be world-famous. But history is strange like that, some places get forgotten, no matter how grand they once were. Founded in the 3rd century BCE, this city thrived under Greek, then Roman rule, yet somehow slipped through the cracks of time. Now, it sits in the Turkish countryside, barely touched, its ruins more real, more raw than the polished sites tourists usually flock to.
At its heart stands the Temple of Zeus, its columns still defying gravity. But Aizanoi isn’t just about one temple. This place had it all, an 8000-seat theater right next to a colossal stadium, a combination found nowhere else in the ancient world. It had the oldest known stock exchange, where traders set prices in stone…literally. And the Roman bridges? Still standing, still in use, because the Romans built things to last.
No crowds, no noise, just you and a city that once pulsed with life. Aizanoi is a secret, for real.
8. Timgad, Algeria – c. 100 CE
Established around 100 CE by Emperor Trajan, this Roman colony in modern-day Algeria was a textbook example of urban planning. Wide, straight streets form a perfect grid, intersecting at right angles like a life-size blueprint of Rome’s ambition. It wasn’t a military outpost, nor a fortress. It was a city built for comfort, luxury, and, of course, Roman order.
Walking through Timgad today feels like stepping into a city frozen in time. The Arch of Trajan, still standing tall, once welcomed merchants, scholars, and politicians. The forum, once alive with debates and deals, is eerily silent now, but its layout still speaks of Roman efficiency. The theater, with seating for 3,500 spectators, is so well-preserved that performances could be held there today. And then there’s the library. Yes, a Roman library, its stone shelves still hinting at the scrolls that once lined them.
Timgad is proof of how Rome’s reach extended far beyond Italy. And yet, in the end, even Rome couldn’t hold onto it forever. Sand buried the city for centuries, preserving it better than any museum ever could. Now, it’s back in the open, a near-perfect snapshot of a world that once was.
9. Gerasa, Jordan – c. 331 BCE
Most ancient cities crumble, their streets reduced to dust, their monuments looted or lost. But Gerasa, now known as Jerash, is different. Founded around 331 BCE, this city somehow survived conquests, earthquakes, and centuries of abandonment, only to reemerge as one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world.
Unlike ruins that require imagination to fill in the gaps, Gerasa still feels like a city. Its colonnaded streets stretch into the horizon, flanked by towering Corinthian columns that haven’t fallen. The Oval Plaza, an architectural marvel of symmetry and balance, remains as grand as the day it was built.
The Temple of Artemis, dedicated to the city’s patron goddess, still holds up its massive pillars, daring time to break them. Even the chariot-racing hippodrome is intact enough to host reenactments of Roman spectacles.
What makes Gerasa different is that it never disappeared. It wasn’t buried like Pompeii, nor lost to time like Babylon. It simply waited, its stones standing firm, its roads still leading somewhere. And today, they lead straight into the past.
10. Sukhothai, Thailand – c. 1238 CE
Sukhothai is where Thai identity took shape. Founded in 1238 CE, it was the first capital of the Kingdom of Sukhothai, laying the foundations for Thai art, language, and culture.
What’s left today? Not a crowded metropolis, but a sprawling open-air museum. The Sukhothai Historical Park is a place where 700-year-old Buddha statues still sit in quiet meditation, where lotus-filled moats reflect the outlines of once-mighty stupas.
Wat Mahathat, the kingdom’s spiritual core, still dominates the landscape, while the massive seated Buddha of Wat Si Chum seems to watch over everything with an expression of timeless calm.
