The City in History

What makes the city different and worth studying? What kinds of distinctive patterns and characteristics define it? Is the Greek Polis and its monastic heirs alone in this respect? Mumford’s The City in History provides many answers to these questions. Mumford examines the characteristics that distinguish Greek cities and presents a divisive viewpoint on the Roman city notion. His discussion also demonstrates how monasticism inspired Christian communities, how today's contemporary metropolis is shaped by mercantile capitalism, and how he perceives their mutual interdependency.