Ruins of Ancient Cities, Volume 2 is the second part of Charles Bucke’s survey of the great cities of antiquity, recounting their rise, fall, and present condition. Drawing on history, travel accounts, and antiquarian learning, Bucke describes the monuments and remains of famous urban centers, reflecting on the causes of their decline and the lessons their ruins offer.
The book belongs to the long tradition of meditation on the fate of cities and empires, popular among nineteenth-century readers fascinated by the picturesque grandeur of ruins. Bucke combines factual description with moral reflection in the manner of his age. For readers interested in ancient urbanism, archaeology, and the romance of vanished civilizations, this volume offers a wide-ranging and atmospheric tour.