Cities, shocks, and persistence: new approaches to urban resilience in the past

Abstract Non-Technical Summary Why did some early cities thrive for centuries, while others collapsed after a short time? Archaeologists and historians are trying to identify the factors responsible for early urban resilience. This knowledge may hold insights for our understanding how cities today can best adapt to the disruptions caused by climate change. I single out two current research directions: shocks and persistence. A focus on individual cities reveals the responses of cities to specific types of shock, while a consideration of the lengths of occupation of cities and settlements (persistence through time) identifies those cities most successful in the long run. Technical Summary Because they offer deep temporal perspectives, the historical and archaeological records of past cities have potential to make unique contributions to the scientific understanding of urban resilience and urban adaptations to climate change today. I single out two ways that archaeologists and historians have begun to explore this potential for early cities: shocks and persistence. The responses of urban residents and institutions to diverse types of shock is a kind of specified resilience (i.e., resilience to what, who, when, and where) that can be studied for some well-documented early cities. I use the example of ancient earthquakes to discuss this theme. The temporal persistence of cities over time, on the other hand, provides insights into the general resilience of early cities by differentiating between cities that were more and less successful over the long run. I use the example of archaeological survey projects to illustrate persistence analysis, a new approach in archaeology. These two approaches build on current efforts in the fields of resilience and urban adaptations to address the importance of disturbances and deep temporal perspectives. Social Media Summary Archaeologists and historians can study ancient urban resilience by focusing on specific shocks and the longevity of cities.