Wayward Son (62 page)

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One of the oldest cities in upper Egypt,
Abydos
is located just over six miles from the Nile river. It is well known for its temples and tombs built for the early pharaohs, such as the Great Osirus Temple and the Temple of Seti. One important find there at the Temple of Seti is a list of Egyptian kings, showing the order of their reigns, from Menes to Seti.
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The ancient city of
Thebes
in Egypt contains marvelous ruins: the temples of Luxor and Karnak, and nearby the Valley of the Kings. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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As a tribute to himself and Queen Nefertari, Ramesses II built
Abu-Simbel
, two temples carved out of sandstone cliffs in the 13th century BC. In 1968 the structures were cut into blocks and relocated inland to avoid the rising waters of Lake Nasser, caused when a new dam was built.
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The ancient city of
Memphis
, Egypt, was the capital of the Old Kingdom. It is believed that King Menes founded the city. The city held two statues of Ramses, the Apries Palace, and the Temple of Ptah. The Saqqara and Giza pyramids, and the great Sphinx were also nearby. 
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Located next to the Nile River, the city of
Giza
is Egypt’s third largest city.  It contains some of Egypt’s greatest treasures of antiquity: the Sphinx, and three pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Giza (or Khufu), the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
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An area that has provided fertile ground for farming for centuries, the
Nile delta
played an important role throughout civilization. Situated at the northern tip of Egypt, this is where the Nile flows into the Mediterranean sea---in the shape of a large funnel or triangle. In fact, the term “delta” was first used by Greek historian Herodotus in describing this feature of the Nile, as he thought it looked like the Greek letter delta (which is a triangle).
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Along the
Nile River
, there are shallow sections with large boulders and islets, even whitewater or rapids. These sections are called cataracts, and there were six of them; two have since become submerged. The first cataract runs through Aswan, a busy tourist center in modern-day Egypt.
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The ancient city of
Antioch
, founded in the 4th Century BC, lies along the eastern shore of the Orontes River in modern-day Turkey. It was the site of early Christianity’s spread, due to visits by Peter and Paul.
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The ancient city of
Xi’an
served as China’s capital through several important dynasties. One of China’s oldest cities, it is rich in cultural and historical significance, and holds many treasures, including The Terracotta Army. Today it is a thriving metropolis with a population of eight million.
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On the western border of China, bordering Tajikistan, sits the oasis city,
Kashgar
. The Northern Silk Road passed through here. In fact, the city was first mentioned by members of the Han Dynasty who were traveling the Silk Road, exploring western lands. China’s largest mosque is here, as is the tomb of Abakh Khoja, considered a holy site by Muslims. 
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The
Library of Alexandria
was founded by Ptolemy I Soter, and opened in 283 BC. It is believed to have contained as many as 500,000 scrolls. A place of study, it had up to 100 scholars living on the premises, which included a zoo of exotic animals, gardens, and lecture areas. Ironically, Julius Caesar accidentally burned the library down when he was forced to set fire to his ships while fighting Ptolemy XIII.

Dig a little deeper at:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/14417/Library-of-Alexandria

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The
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, were not actually hanging but built into terraces on the side of a hill. Water from the Euphrates was pumped up to irrigate the plants. The gardens were most likely built around 600 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar. 
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Between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, all that remains of the ancient city
Babylon
is a mound, or “tell,” located in southern Iraq.  In the Hebrew Bible, the name reads “Babel,” making it the likely location of the Tower of Babel.  What started out as a small town, possibly 3rd millennium BC, grew to be the biggest city of the world at the time (1770 to 1670 BC), with a population of 200,000. 
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Rome’s largest venue for public games, most notably for chariot racing, was the
Circus Maximus
.  This large stadium could hold about 150,000 spectators.  It was just over 2,000 feet in length, and 387 feet wide. Its origins go back to the 6th Century BC, when a track was built between the Palatine and Aventine Hills of Rome.
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One of the Seven Hills of Rome,
Palatine Hill
is believed to be the location where a cave held mythical twins, Romulus and Remus. The hill was inhabited as early as 1000 BC. Emperors Augustus, Tiberius, and Domitian built palaces there, the remains of which can still be seen.  The hill overlooks the Circus Maximus on one side and the Coliseum on the other. 
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Because of the wickedness of humans, God determined to destroy mankind with a flood.  But one man pleased him, Noah, and he was tasked by God to build an
ark
. This “ship” would be big enough for Noah’s family and male and female sets of all animals. According to God’s instructions (Genesis, Chap. 6), the ark would have been made of cypress wood, was 450 ft. long, 75 ft. wide, and 45 ft. tall. 
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According to the Bible (Genesis, Chap. 9), the first
rainbow
appeared after the great flood that destroyed humanity---save for Noah and his family and two of every living thing. It was a sign of God’s agreement with Noah and future generations, that he would never again destroy the earth with a flood. 
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A popular game of ancient Egypt,
senet
has been found in Egyptian tombs dating as far back as 3500 BC.  It consists of a board with 30 squares---three rows of ten each---and two sets of pawns. 
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A symbol of the sun god Ra, the
obelisk
was a prominent piece of ancient Egyptian architecture. Found in pairs at temple entrances, these tall, four-sided monuments are tapered and end in a pyramid-shaped tip. They are made of stone, with deeply etched hieroglyphs on each side. 
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