The most prestigious law school admissions discussion board in the world.
|
 |
 
|
Prominent historical cities not tied to a major waterway
| Mainlining the $ecret Truth of the Univer$e | 08/10/25 |
Poast new message in this thread
Date: August 10th, 2025 7:17 AM Author: Mainlining the $ecret Truth of the Univer$e (You = Privy to The Great Becumming™ = Welcum to The Goodie Room™) Most major cities throughout history grew on coasts or large rivers for easy transport, trade, defense, and access to water for agriculture and sanitation. However, several famous and important cities bucked this trend, forming due to other overriding factors. Their existence is a testament to human ingenuity and the power of strategic location, religion, politics, or resources.
Here are some prominent historical cities not tied to a major waterway and the reasons for their formation.
1. Religion and Trade Some cities became vital centers purely because of their religious significance, which often dovetailed with their position on key trade routes.
Jerusalem: Perhaps the most famous example, Jerusalem is not on any significant river or coastline. Its importance is almost entirely derived from its central role in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Situated on a rocky plateau, its initial water supply came from springs like the Gihon Spring. Its defensible hilltop position was a secondary advantage, but its enduring global importance is religious.
Mecca: Located in a desert valley in modern-day Saudi Arabia, Mecca’s prominence stems from its status as the holiest city in Islam. Before Islam, it was already a pilgrimage site centered on the Kaaba and a key stop on the ancient incense trade routes. Its survival was made possible by the Zamzam Well, a sacred and reliable source of water in an otherwise arid region.
Petra: The ancient capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, Petra is carved into the red rock canyons of southern Jordan. It had no river. Its immense wealth came from its strategic location as the nexus for caravan trade in frankincense, myrrh, and spices. The Nabataeans became masters of hydraulic engineering, creating a sophisticated system of dams, cisterns, and conduits to capture and store scarce rainwater, allowing a massive city to thrive in the desert.
2. Political Centrality Sometimes, a city's location is chosen not for commercial or geographic convenience but for purely political and symbolic reasons.
Madrid: When King Philip II of Spain made Madrid his capital in 1561, he bypassed larger, more established coastal and riverside cities like Seville and Barcelona. His reason was simple: geography. Madrid is located almost at the exact geographic center of the Iberian Peninsula. It was a political choice to create a capital that was not associated with any particular region, from which he could govern the entirety of Spain. It lies on the Manzanares, a river so small it has often been the subject of jokes.
3. Natural Resources The discovery of a valuable natural resource can lead to the explosive growth of a city in an otherwise inhospitable or inconvenient location.
Johannesburg: Founded in 1886, Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and one of the largest cities in the world not situated on a river, lake, or coast. Its existence is owed to a single factor: gold. The city was established after the discovery of the Witwatersrand Gold Fields, one of the largest gold deposits the world has ever seen. People flocked there for mineral wealth, and a major metropolis grew directly on top of its economic reason for being. |