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Why were ancient cities usually densely populated and compact?
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Crowds of people in Tokyo's Shibuya shopping district.
Ancient cities were typically compact and densely populated due to several practical and environmental constraints:
- Accessibility: Distances within a city had to be manageable by foot, as transportation technology was limited. Residents also needed to remain within a reasonable range of the water supply.1
- Defense: Because ancient cities were frequently subject to attack, they were often enclosed by walls. It was difficult and costly to extend these defensive barricades over large areas, necessitating a compact urban footprint.1
- Agricultural Surplus: The ability to sustain high population densities was made possible by improvements in agriculture. Enhanced cultivation methods and the development of transportation allowed food surpluses from the countryside to support concentrated urban populations.21
These factors created a model where inhabitants lived in close proximity, with the elite often residing near the city center and temples, while the poor were situated further out or even beyond the city walls.1