Combining archeological information and digital technology allows us to experience some of the great ancient cities of the past as they may have appeared in their glory.
The ancient cities below are listed in chronological order, starting with the oldest, so if you're looking for a specific place, it may be further down the list.
Giza, Egypt (2500 BCE) - Animated 3D overview tour of the area around the Great Pyramids as they likely appeared in their heyday. The Giza 3D project at Harvard University also has a whole series of 3D animated tours of specific Giza sites.
Ur, Sumeria (2100 BCE) - Near the Persian Gulf and also to the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates River, the city emerged as a major trading hub and one of the richest settlements of the region. Another tour takes you through the grandiose Ziggurat of Ur, that dominated the skyline of the city.
Knossos, Crete (1700 BCE) - Tour the Royal Palace in Knossos with amazing details like its famous Dolphin fresco brought to life. Knossos is often said to be the oldest city in Europe.
Babylon, Mesopotamia (600 BCE) - The most renowned city of ancient Mesopotamia.
Greece: The Acropolises in Athens and Syracuse (500 BCE) - Two cities in this tour!
Carthage, (300 BCE) - The most important city on the Mediterranean Sea for a very long time.
Alexandria, Egypt (51 BCE) - The great port city and center of learning.
A Day in Pompeii, Roman Empire (79 CE) - Experience the city on the day it was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
A Typical Upper Class Roman House (117 CE) - Walk through the home of a typical well-to-do citizen of the Roman Empire.
Rome (320 CE) - Walking around Colosseum. Click on the link for the tour, then if you want to tour ancient Rome some more, there are other similar tours in the playlist to the right of the video tour.
Mayan Empire, Mesoamerica (600 CE) - Classic Maya civilization grew to some 40 cities.
Chang'an, China (650 CE) - Capital of the Tang Empire and the largest city in the world at the time.
Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire-Cambodia (1000 CE) - Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. Although not a city, this UNESCO World Heritage site is the most significant complex of structures remaining from the ancient Khmer capital.
Tenochtitlán, Mexico (1500 CE) - The Aztec capital comes to life as one of the largest cities in the world at the time. Another view provides an overall picture of the greatness of the Aztec capital.
Paris, France (through the ages) - Watch the city begin, grow, and evolve over the centuries.